Mara Wilson Delves Into the World of Being a Female Child Actress

In a recent article, actress Mara Wilson explains life as a child actor and how sexuality was a “bad girl” trait to stay away from. WARNING: This article contains sensitive topics such as sexual assault and sexual harassment.

On February 23, Mara Wilson had an opinion piece published on The New York Times website. 

The recent advocacy for singer Britney Spears has led a plethora of childhood stars to reach out. Mara Wilson explains her experiences as a child actor, from sexual harassment to her 13-year-old views.

“The way people talked about Britney Spears was terrifying to me then, and it still is now,” writes @MaraWilson, who was an actor from age 5. “Our culture builds these girls up just to destroy them.” https://t.co/JFijs0NKc0

— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) February 23, 2021

Mara Wilson is an actress and writer. As a child, she starred in films such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Matilda, and many others. Recently she has been a voice actor for BoJack Horseman. Wilson has also written an autobiography, Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame.

In the industry, there are supposedly preventative measures to make the child actor have a normal life. These were to make sure the child, such as Wilson, didn’t become ‘ruined.’ Wilson tells how interviews would twist her words. In one, the author appeared to write her as a ‘spoiled brat.’

“At 13, I already knew all about the narrative. As an actor from the age of 5, who was carrying films by age 8, I’d been trained to seem, to be, as normal as possible — whatever it took to avoid my inevitable downfall,” Wilson wrote. 

Many people on Twitter applauded Wilson for her opinion piece in The New York Times. Some fans even shared their own memories of people sexualizing young stars.

Terrific article! Thank u Mara! I remember my freshman year at film school at NYU,there was a countdown for when Anna Paquin & the Olsen twins were to turn 18, whic I found beyond gross from the guys. At the time the program was such a misogynistic,boys club towards females too

— Alison Futoran (@alison_futoran) February 24, 2021

Trying not to be sexualized, she never wore anything shorter than a ‘knee-length sundress,’ only appearing in family-friendly movies. The narrative given seemed to create the assumption that child stars deserved a downfall. 

She states, “People had been asking me, “Do you have a boyfriend?” in interviews since I was 6. Reporters asked me who I thought the sexiest actor was and about Hugh Grant’s arrest for soliciting a prostitute. It was cute when 10-year-olds sent me letters saying they were in love with me. It was not when 50-year-old men did. Before I even turned 12, there were images of me on foot fetish websites and photoshopped into child pornography.”

Explaining forms of sexual harassment throughout the industry, Wilson solidifies hers. While she was never sexually harassed on a film set, she was exposed “by the hands of the media and the public.”

Wilson appears to explain that Spears wasn’t given the support to grow independently. Spears needed to parent without the media.

“The saddest thing about Ms. Spears’s ‘breakdown’ is that it never needed to happen. When she split with her husband, shaved her head, and furiously attacked a paparazzi car with an umbrella, the narrative was forced upon her, but the reality was she was a new mother dealing with major life changes. People need space, time, and care to deal with those things. She had none of that.”

On Twitter, she noted how she isn’t the first former child star to release statements. 

This seems like a good time to remind people of the documentary I was in, Showbiz Kids, made by the wonderful @Winter. There’s a lot of talk in it, from me and others, about what growing up in the public eye does to you. https://t.co/100jdWZsW5

— Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” Wilson (@MaraWilson) February 23, 2021

Wilson’s opinion piece gives insight into what she notices in the industry. She provides details of what she has faced and how she had to deal with the problems. Viewers can read her piece on NYTimes.com.