Mara Wilson, who celebrated her 37th birthday on July 24, reflects on the challenges she faced as a child star. Once adored for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and Matilda, Wilson found herself pushed aside by Hollywood as she grew older. “Hollywood was burned out on me,” she said, sharing that the pressure to remain “cute” and “beautiful” made her feel worthless as she transitioned out of her child star image. Wilson first gained widespread attention at age five when she starred alongside Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. Her parents kept her grounded during this early success, reminding her that fame was fleeting. She later appeared in Miracle on 34th Street and Matilda, but her life took a personal turn when her mother, Suzie, passed away from breast cancer in 1996. Wilson struggled with grief and the pressures of fame, saying that her fame made her “the most unhappy.” At 11, Wilson starred in her final major role in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. By then, she was growing weary of acting and found the scripts too juvenile. She left Hollywood, seeking a more normal life after years of being in the spotlight.