Mara Wilson Quotes

I think if I could do it over again – as much as I loved meeting the people I did on the films after ‘Matilda’ – I wish that I had stopped after ‘Matilda.’ I wish that I had just focused on my own life for a while.

That’s my suggestion for kids who want to act, by the way: Make sure it’s really your choice, get out of it when it stops being fun, and get an education.

I’d rather be known for my accomplishments, and for things that I really do take pride in, rather than known for this doll-like image I had when I was a child.

If I ever have children of my own, they will read ‘Matilda.’ They will watch the movie. And you can bet they will see ‘Matilda: The Musical.’

Not many child stars make it out of Hollywood alive or sane, and at any given time there are at least three former ones having very public breakdowns.

Danny DeVito later told me that he knew he wanted me for ‘Matilda’ the second I walked in the door. I’m not sure if this is true, or if he was just being nice, but I was thrilled when I got it.

My mother died when I was young, and I was filming all the time. I was all over the place. Acting was the one constant.

Film can be exciting, but more often, it’s tedious.

I remember feeling enormous pressure because I didn’t want to be Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple was Shirley Temple, and I didn’t ever feel like I could live up to that.

The celebrity aspect is nothing short of ridiculous, and auditioning is brutal and dehumanizing. Every time I see a pretty young girl on the subway reading sides for an audition, my only thought is, ‘Man, am I glad I’m not doing that anymore.’ I never feel nostalgia, just relief.

Considering all the legal hassle child stars can be, I won’t be surprised when they are phased out by CGI children voiced by adult actors.

I don’t know if I’m always going to be acting. Maybe when I grow up, I will be a scriptwriter. I already have a few scripts in my head.

I still get recognized. It’s flattering, but it can be uncomfortable. Maybe because it only seems to happen when I’m looking and feeling crappy.

I’m originally from southern California, so I, like, say ‘like’, like, a lot. I’ve been trying to scrub any traces of Valley Girl from my speech since I moved to New York, but it’s, like, totally way harder than anyone thinks, you know?

Assume everything you put on the Internet can and will be seen not only by the person you’re talking about, but your future romantic partners and bosses, too.

When people asked me what I was going to do when I grow up, I always said, ‘I’m going to be a writer. I’m going to write screenplays. I’m going to write books. I’m going to write plays. That’s what I’m going to do.’

‘Matilda’ was my favorite movie to film and my favorite to watch, as well.

I had people in ‘Entertainment Weekly’ talking about how they wanted to throttle me because they thought I was too disgustingly cute, as if that were my fault, you know, as if that was my fault, not the fault of directors and producers and such.

I think that when I was child, acting was mostly just a hobby for me. It was something that my parents encouraged me to think of the way that my brothers thought of their cross-country classes, or my little sister to dance classes and art classes, and it was something like that for me.

No, you will never see me on ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ Sorry.

I didn’t want to be a former child actor for the rest of my life, although in some ways I suppose I am. I am going to be that.

I’m pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I’ve only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. I did have to go to the hospital after slicing my finger while trying to cut a Kaiser roll in half.