Matilda child actor lives a very different life now after retiring more than 20 years ago

She was the star of the most famous adaptation of Roald Dahl's Matilda – but where is Mara Wilson now?

Like the star of the Fountains of Wayne's video 'Stacy's Mom' or Dewey from the iconic noughties sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, Wilson is one of many actors who spent their childhood years in the spotlight before stepping away from fame altogether.

Wilson starred in 90s films such as Mrs Doubtfire and Miracle on 34th Street, but is perhaps best known for playing Matilda Wormwood in Danny DeVito's 1996 take on the novel.

Her last major credit was in 2000 with the movie Thomas and the Magic Railroad and she would go on to have a handful of roles in theatre productions, but other than that, Wilson appeared to abandon Hollywood for the next decade-and-a-half.

As the star of Matilda, Mara Wilson was thrust into fame at a young age (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

What does Matilda star Mara Wilson do now?

In 2012, Wilson began publishing her own writing before going on to release a memoir in 2016, called Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame.

It reflects on Wilson's experience finding fame at a young age, which she later followed up with her second book, Good Girls Don't, in 2023.

In this book, she responded to rumours that she'd been 'bratty' during her time as a child actor, writing: "A bratty child is one who won’t do what they’re told; child actors only do what they’re told. Brats are selfish and greedy; child actors often support their families."

Wilson added: "A spoilt and misbehaving child will not get very far in the entertainment industry."

She also recalled an experience at a teen disco on a cruise, revealing that she was made to feel like she needed to dance with a boy, aged 16, who was grinding on her. She then revealed her only thoughts at the time were worrying about what others would think - such as 'Matilda's a s**t' - rather than her own feelings.

She now lives a much quieter life (Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

As well as two memoirs, Wilson has worked as a podcaster and lent her voice to audiobooks. She's also a regular contributor to publications such as Elle, The New York Times and Vanity Fair.

Why did Mara Wilson leave Hollywood?

Discussing her decision to step away from acting in an interview with NPR in 2016, Wilson said rejection had become 'prominent part of my life'.

"There wasn't like one big moment where I knew I was done," she explained. "The rejection hurt because it had been just such a prominent part of my life for so long. It had been the thing that defined me."

When asked if she'd ever return to acting, Wilson told The Guardian that she had reservations.

"I don’t know if they really know what to do with a short, curvy, Jewish brunette. I don’t want anybody telling me, 'You need to lose 30lb and get a nose job'," she said.