Whatever Happened To Mia Wasikowska?

Like many little girls, Mia Wasikowska wanted to be a ballet dancer when she was younger. A performer at heart, after a dance injury she switched to acting when she was just fifteen years old. Although she began booking roles fairly quickly, her first experiences in the limelight were not easy ones. In an interview with The Guardian, the Australian-Polish actor explained, "The transition to Hollywood was difficult in having to let go of control of how I was perceived." "It's embarrassing to admit you care, but as a 20-year-old you do. Pimped out to a world of press, you can feel picked apart. Before, no one knew me," she said.

Wasikowska soon skyrocketed to fame. She is perhaps most famous for her role as Alice in Tim Burton's 2010 version of "Alice in Wonderland." The actor also appeared in other high-profile movies, such as the comedy-drama "The Kids Are All Right" and one of the best period romance dramas, "Jane Eyre."

However, since the late 2010s, Wasikowska has taken a step back from the spotlight. Her acting roles became less consistent, and many fans wondered what happened to her. For some actors, this would have been a major upset, but taking a step back from the limelight is just what Wasikowska wanted. She joined the list of A-list celebrities who seemingly disappeared from Hollywood, like Eva Mendes and Rachel McAdams, who you don't hear about anymore. Find out just what happened to Wasikowska after her heyday in Hollywood.

The life of a movie star is not for everyone. From long nights on sets away from home to being hounded by paparazzi, celebrity and fame come at a cost. For Mia Wasikowska, the cost became too high. After years in Hollywood, Wasikowska decided to move back to her hometown of Sydney, Australia and has no regrets.

The decision came after her role in 2016's "Alice Through the Looking Glass," a Disney live action remake that received poor reviews; as of this publication the movie only has a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While some may have assumed it was the negative press that played a large part in the actor not booking any more leading roles in major movies, that was not the case. Wasikowska made the decision for herself to leave Hollywood behind, literally and figuratively, at least for a time.

Wasikowska revealed that she was homesick when she was living in the United States for work. In an interview with The Guardian before she returned to her home country, the actor said, "I've an underlying anxiety when [I am] overseas because I can't swim home. I want to be on the same land as everyone I love." She reminisced wistfully over her favorite aspects of home. "I particularly miss the floral smell of Sydney in spring," Wasikowska said. As of the late 2010s, she is finally living back in the city she so loves.

Since her rise to fame, Mia Wasikowska was consistently busy acting in various movies. She booked many back-to-back roles during the early and mid 2010s, and while she was succeeding professionally, the fast-paced lifestyle took a toll on the actor.

In an interview with Indie Wire, she reflected on the busier time in her life and explained the drawbacks of having little to no downtime. "I didn't entirely like the lifestyle of going back to back-to-back," Wasikowska said. "I felt really disconnected from any greater community," she explained. Now, the acclaimed actor is more selective of the roles she signs on for. Wasikowska switched from starring in blockbuster movies like "Alice in Wonderland" to opting for smaller acting roles in more independent films. She takes breaks in between acting jobs and is happier for it.

In the interview, Wasikowska said, "I'm pretty content. If I can have the best of both worlds, which is dip in and out of it occasionally, I'd be really happy, but I wouldn't ever be in that place where I was just on a treadmill." She explained her career desires further, saying, "I want to do more things in life other than be in a trailer. It's [the Hollywood lifestyle] great, and there are lots of great things, [but] the perception of it is quite different from the reality and it didn't suit me as a person. You can really lose perspective because you're treated quite strangely."

After so long in the limelight, Mia Wasikowska wanted to have a fuller life and be part of a community. In an interview with The Guardian the actor explained, "I feel more of a pull to be in my own community where I can have consistency and friends... Unless you are able to work with the same people again, it is really lonely and a lot of upheaval." Not only did she decide to focus on booking less starring roles closer to home, but her career interests have shifted some as well. As of this publication, Wasikowska wants to be behind the screen more often working as a director. She previously directed a short film and enjoyed the experience. In the interview, the actor gushed about her love for directing. "It was such fun, so much better than acting," she said. "It was wonderful to be able to create a world. I'd love to do more directing." 

She also opened up about directing in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald. Wasikowska said, "I feel like it [directing] suits my personality a bit better, actually." She also told the Australian outlet that her interest is shifting. "... I think I've got less patience for the parts of the industry that I don't like. I don't care too much to be pushed into an image that will get me jobs... To a certain extent you have to be willing to play that game a little bit, you have to go with it, and I feel like I have and the payoff isn't worth it."

Like many popular stars, Mia Wasikowska's creative skills go beyond just television and movie acting. In 2019, the Australian actor landed a role in the Sydney Theater Company's production of the famous novel "Lord of the Flies" by author William Golding. Wasikowska played the character Ralph in the production at Roslyn Packer Theater alongside actor Contessa Treffone. In the story, Ralph is an officer's son who wants to abide by majority rule. Unlike some adaptations of the book, the play Wasikowska was a part of had a diverse cast of actors of different genders. Although a story about the plight of school boys, none of the actors in the play were children, and there were no straight white males in the production either.

Not only was Wasikowska able to showcase a new range of skills on the stage for a live audience, but she was excited at the opportunity to finally live and work in the same city. The actor reminisced fondly of the time in an interview with The Sunday Morning Herald. "It was this wonderful time, where I felt, 'I should cook dinner and hang out with my housemates, and then I'll go to work in the morning, like everyone else,'" the actor said. "And it was great. It's sort of this delayed early-20s period," she explained. Having begun her acting career as a teenager abroad, she did not get to experience a "normal" early 20s transition until moving back to Sydney.

As someone who prioritizes her own well being and does not just live for her career, it is no surprise that Mia Wasikowska seems to prefer to live a life out of the public eye. While the actor attends premieres and red carpets for the movies she stars in, she is not spotted out and about at high-profile parties and big events as often as some actors are.

Not only does she keep her personal social life under wraps in the real world, but fans will not find Wasikowska on any social media sites, either. In a February 2024 interview on YouTube about "Club Zero," a film in which she stars as a teacher to a group of teenagers, she reflected on the stress of being a teenager in the age of social media. "I somehow think that would just be hell," the actor said.

When asked if she herself had an Instagram page, Wasikowska hesitated. "Oh, I, sort of," she said before switching her answer to no. "Let's go with no, no, no," she laughed. The actor did not elaborate, but presumably she may have a private Instagram page. Regardless, fans will not find the actor on any social media sites as of this publication, since she values her privacy.

After over a decade long career in major films and television shows, Mia Wasikowska has acted alongside and worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, from Johnny Depp and Julianne Moore to Guillermo del Toro and Tom Holland.

She had a role in the crime drama film "The Devil All the Time" alongside Tom Holland and "Twilight" actor Robert Pattinson. Released in 2020, the dark gothic thriller was based on a screenplay based on a novel. Wasikowska plays the character of Helen Hatton, a preacher's wife, in the film who is ultimately murdered. The film itself was met with mixed reviews, but it gave Wasikowska a chance to play a new character and let her acting skills shine.

Like Wasikowska, her "The Devil All the Time" co-star Holland also does not like being in the public eye and cherishes his privacy as well. In an interview with GQ, he said "I don't like living in the spotlight. I'm quite good at only being in the spotlight when I need to." Similarly, Wasikowska shines in the spotlight, but only when she chooses it. The actors bonded over this shared quality.

After the success of "Alice in Wonderland," Mia Wasikowska could have had her pick of high-profile movies to work on with acclaimed directors. Rather than take a role on the next blockbuster, Wasikowska decided to be more intentional with the films she worked on and the people she worked with.

The Australian actor opted to work with people whose filmography and directing style she admires. In 2021, Wasikowska had a role in the film "Bergman Island," a romance drama that follows a couple, both filmmakers, to Fårö island, home of Swedish writer and filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.While the story is set and filmed in Sweden, a long way from Wasikowska's home of Australia, Wasikowska made the sacrifice of leaving her home to shoot on location miles away because she is a fan of the film's director, Mia Hansen-Løve. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Wasikowska expressed admiration for the director and her work style. "...[S]he just sets such an amazing atmosphere on set," the actor said. "It was very calm...It was just such a pleasant shoot."

"Bergman Island" plays with the element of fantasy. In the film, Wasikowska portrays Amy, an American filmmaker who traveled to the island for a friend's wedding. Her character had similar themes to Hansen-Løve's real life, a way for the director and actor to connect with one another.

After her time working on the film "Bergman Island" in Sweden, Mia Wasikowska's work led her back to her home country. She had a part in the movie "Blueback" that was set and filmed in Australia and premiered in 2022. Wasikowska plays a smaller role in the environmentally educational film than in her previous acting jobs.

The movie is based on Tim Winton's 1997 novella "Blueback" and tells the story of a young girl trying to save a fish species from poachers. Wasikowska's character in the film, Abby Jackson, is a marine biologist who recalls her childhood and how her activist mom inspired her to help save ocean life. The other two actresses in the film play Jackson at younger ages. "Blueback" was mostly filmed underwater and spreads the important message of preserving Australia's coral reefs.

In an interview with Collider, Wasikowska explained her interest with the story. "When I read "Blueback," the character of Abby really reminded me of my nephews and my niece, who are all growing up in small coastal towns in Australia, surrounded by nature and just really inspired by it, " she explained. "...[I]t really reminded me of my family, and I find them inspiring." Aside from her personal connection to the film, Wasikowska found the story inspiring on a larger scale as well. "Female scientists are leading the charge with climate change, so it's a bit of a nod to them, and hopefully it helps inspire the next generation, as well," she said.

While they do not quite qualify as back-to-back films, only a year after the "Blueback" film premiere, Mia Wasikowska was in another movie. In 2023, the Australian actor had a role in the film "Club Zero." She played the character Ms. Novak in the drama thriller. In the film, Ms. Noivak is the new nutrition teacher at a British boarding school. The teacher manipulates students into developing eating disorders under the guise of "health."

When it comes to portraying different characters, particularly unlikable ones,Wasikowska does not shy away. In fact, the actor welcomes the opportunity. In her interview with IndieWire, Wasikowska discussed portraying "bad" characters. "It's way more fun to play a character that's not a role model," she explained. "As an actor, you get to express all these things that [where], in real life, you're not supposed to be like that, and you're supposed to be angry." She continued, saying, "It's great fun playing crazy, mad, angry characters. And then, you know, there are some times that you just want to sort of represent the best in people as well."

"Club Zero" premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival where it was seen by celebrities, models, and actors alike. Despite a particularly gruesome vomit scene, the film still received a five minute standing ovation when it finished playing at the festival.

As of this publication, Mia Wasikowska has been keeping a low profile and only acting occasionally since her role as Alice in "Alice Through the Looking Glass." Yet in March 2025, it was announced that she began filming a new movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wasikowska was set to star alongside actors Taika Waititi, Penelope Wilton from "Downton Abbey," and Blake Harrison in a movie adaptation of the children's book "Fing" by David Walliams.

Published in 2019, the comedic children's book follows a spoiled child, Myrtle, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Meek, who are both librarians. In the film, Wasikowska plays the mother, Mrs. Meek, who, along with her husband, go in search of a "fing" at their daughter's request. The Sky Original Film is co-written by the book's author, Walliams.

The movie was being filmed at Queensland Studios in Brisbane, Australia which aligned with Wasikowska's desire to work closer to her home. "FING!" was co-produced by King Bert Productions in the UK and Story Bridge Films in Queensland. Waititi stars alongside Wasikowska and plays the role of the Viscount. "When I read the script, I instantly felt David's unique and quirky wit jump off the page," Waititi said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). "There's a dark humour and edge to "FING!" and I'm excited to bring the eccentric Viscount to the screen." Having acted in children's movies before, Wasikowska's return to the big screen was sure to win fans' hearts.