Who Played Matilda and What She Earned from the Film
Mara Wilson portrayed Matilda Wormwood in the 1996 film Matilda. The movie was produced by TriStar Pictures and directed by Danny DeVito. Mara Wilson was born on July 24, 1987, in Burbank, California, and was cast at age six after early auditions. The film grossed over $33 million in its domestic box office run, according to The Numbers. Wilson's initial earnings from the project were modest by modern child-actor standards, and she later discussed the financial realities of early Hollywood work in interviews with Forbes and similar outlets read more.
Mara Wilson's earnings from Matilda are not publicly disclosed in SEC filings or studio earnings reports. Publicly available data focuses on the film's total gross and production budget rather than individual talent compensation. The movie's worldwide total is estimated above $33 million, with the production company bearing marketing and distribution costs. Child actors in the 1990s typically received compensation through trust accounts managed by guardians, with limited public disclosure of exact figures.
Mara Wilson's Career Trajectory and Financial Outcomes
After Matilda, Mara Wilson appeared in films such as Mrs. Doubtfire and A Simple Wish. She stepped back from acting in her late teens to focus on education and writing. She later wrote for outlets including The A.V. Club and The Guardian, and published the memoir Where Am I Now. Her current professional activities center on writing and public commentary, not acting contracts or film revenue participation.
Mara Wilson's net worth is not officially audited or disclosed in any financial filing. Estimates from public sources place her net worth in a modest range compared to top-earning former child stars. Her financial profile reflects a deliberate shift away from high-profile entertainment contracts toward lower-profile work in journalism and literature. Public interest in her earnings continues to drive traffic to biographical and financial summary pages.
Financial Context of Child Actors and the Matilda Franchise
How Child Actor Earnings Work in Hollywood
Child actors in the United States are typically subject to Coogan Law regulations, which require a portion of earnings to be set aside in a blocked trust. Earnings from films like Matilda are negotiated by agents and guardians, with final pay stubs often confidential. Studios such as TriStar Pictures, a Sony Pictures Entertainment subsidiary, report aggregate box office figures but do not break out individual talent compensation in public filings.
Box Office and Franchise Revenue
The Matilda film remains a cult classic with ongoing streaming and home-media revenue. The movie is not part of a large franchise with direct sequels, but it generates residual income through television licensing and digital platforms. Revenue data for the film is tracked by box office aggregators and studio reporting systems, though individual talent residuals are not publicly itemized.
Public Data Sources for Earnings and Net Worth
Investors and researchers seeking financial data on entertainment properties can review public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for parent companies such as Sony Group Corporation. The SEC EDGAR database provides access to corporate financial reports that may include segment-level revenue from film divisions. Individual net worth figures for actors are typically sourced from media estimates rather than audited financial statements.
Key Takeaways
Mara Wilson played Matilda in the 1996 film, which grossed over $33 million domestically. Her post-acting career focuses on writing and journalism rather than film revenue. Public financial data for the film centers