Mara Wilson became one of the most beloved child actresses of the 90s, beginning her career at the age of 6 in ‘Forever Dad’ and later becoming immortalized with her portrayal of Matilda; However, the actress assured that behind the scenes, the child stars lived through hell.
Mara Wilson talks about Hollywood’s mistreatment of child actors
The actress of Matilda, is already 35 years old, and decided to write a book called ‘Good Girls Don’t’ in which she recounts her experiences as a Hollywood child actress.
During a promotional interview for The Guardian newspaper, Mara spoke of the price she had to pay for achieving fame at such a young age.
“I don’t think you can be a child star without some kind of lasting damage,” the actress explained.
Mara says that on many occasions she saw “suspicious things” that she had to ignore to stay within the industry.
“A spoiled child is one who does not do what he is told; child actors just do what they’re told. Spoiled children are selfish and greedy; child actors often support their families. A spoiled kid will never get very far in the entertainment industry.”
Despite having previously worked with directors who were used to working with children, the now writer experienced situations where adults made jokes or comments that made her feel sexualized.
“I made the mistake of googling myself when I was 12 and saw things I couldn’t stop seeing. People don’t realize how much it weighs on you constantly talking to the press when you’re a kid.”
Mara says that there were also journalists who asked her questions such as “if she knew what the French kiss was” or “actors who seemed sexy to her” when she was only 9 years old.
“I had people sending me inappropriate letters and posting things about me on the internet,” he added.
What does Mara Wilson, the actress of Matilda, do?
Growing up, Mara did not get roles in Hollywood again, as the directors and producers claimed that she had lost the grace she had as a child.
Thus away from the sets, Mara began a career as a writer, and has written important essays such as ‘Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame’ (2016), in which she addressed what it was like to be a child artist in the 90s. .
For example, learning about sex on the set of ‘Melrose Place’ or being told in adolescence that she was no longer “cute” for Hollywood, which affected her career as an actress.