From a magical story to an inspiring message, Roald Dahl's Matilda is an unforgettable classic. The story follows a kind-hearted young girl, Matilda, who discovers extraordinary powers and uses them to fight against her difficult childhood while helping those around her. The novel and its live-action adaptation have remained a beloved favorite for decades.

And the actress who brought this iconic character to life was Mara Wilson. The role quickly made her one of the most famous child actresses in the industry. However, after finding early success, Wilson unexpectedly stepped away from the spotlight.

Years later, she returned, but in a very different role. Here is what the former child star is doing now.

Mara Wilson has openly discussed the pressure that came with working as a child actress in the film industry. This is the same reason that she decided to step away from Hollywood. In an interview with The Guardian, she opened up about the impact of being a child actress.

"I don't think you can be a child star without there being some kind of lasting damage," she said in 2023.

After moving away from the entertainment world, she focused on her education instead. Wilson attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and graduated in 2009. She pursued creative work and turned to storytelling and narration. Before this, Wilson has been part of several hit films.

Mara Wilson made her acting debut in the 1993 Robin Williams comedy Mrs. Doubtfire. She was just six years old when she played Natalie Hillard, the youngest daughter in the film. She went on to star in Miracle on 34th Street (1994) and Matilda (1996). Her last project before stepping away from acting was Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000).

And after reaching fame at a young age, Wilson chose to leave Hollywood and focus on her personal growth.

After stepping away from on-screen acting, Mara Wilson returned to the entertainment industry as a voice actress. She recently won an award at the Audie Awards, which honor excellence in audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment. She won for her narration of Bury Your Gays. She has also lent her voice to several other audiobooks, including Camp Damascus (2023), Lucky Day (2025), and Fabulous Bodies (2026). Apart from audiobooks, Wilson has voiced characters in BoJack Horseman (2016), Big Hero 6: The Series (2018–2019), Helluva Boss (2020–2021), and The Tingleverse.

Alongside her voice acting career, she has also established herself as a writer. In a 2016 interview with NPR, Wilson revealed that she had discovered a passion for writing after stepping away from acting.

That same year, she released her memoir, Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, in which she reflected on her years as a child actress and the emotional challenges that came with growing up in the spotlight. She followed it with Good Girls Don't in 2023. Today, Wilson is best known for her work in books, audiobooks, podcasts, and voice acting.

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Do you remember Mara Wilson from Matilda? Let us know in the comments.