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Mia Wasikowska ( ; born 25 October 1989) is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut on the
Australian television Television in Australia began experimentally as early as 1929 in Melbourne with radio stations 3DB and 3UZ, and 2UE in Sydney, using the ''Radiovision'' system by Gilbert Miles and Donald McDonald, and later from other locations, such as Bris ...
drama '' All Saints'' in 2004, followed by her feature film debut in '' Suburban Mayhem'' (2006). She first became known to a wider audience following her critically acclaimed work on the HBO television series ''
In Treatment ''In Treatment'' is an American drama television series for HBO, produced and developed by Rodrigo Garcia, based on the Israeli series '' BeTipul'' ( he, בטיפול), created by Hagai Levi, Ori Sivan and Nir Bergman. The series is about a ...
''. She was nominated for the
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female The Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female was an award presented annually by Film Independent. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an absolutely outstanding performance in a supporting role while working in an indepen ...
for ''
That Evening Sun "That Evening Sun" is a short story by the American author William Faulkner, published in 1931 in the collection '' These 13'', which included Faulkner's most anthologized story, "A Rose for Emily". The story was originally published, in a slight ...
'' (2009). Wasikowska gained worldwide recognition in 2010 after starring as Alice in
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), '' Edward Scissorhands'' (1990), '' The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993 ...
's '' Alice in Wonderland'' and appearing in the comedy-drama film '' The Kids Are All Right'', a role for which she received the Hollywood Film Festival Award for Breakthrough Actress. She starred in
Cary Fukunaga Cary Joji Fukunaga (born July 10, 1977) is an American filmmaker. He first gained recognition for writing and directing the 2009 film '' Sin nombre'' and the 2011 adaptation of ''Jane Eyre''. He was the first director of partial East Asian des ...
's ''
Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...
'' (2011),
Sophie Barthes Sophie Barthes (born 1974) is a French-American film director and screenwriter best known for her 2009 film ''Cold Souls''. Early life Barthes was born in France and was raised in South America and the Middle East. She moved to New York in 2001 t ...
' ''
Madame Bovary ''Madame Bovary'' (; ), originally published as ''Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners'' ( ), is a novel by French writer Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856. The eponymous character lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and emp ...
'' (2014), and Guillermo del Toro's ''
Crimson Peak ''Crimson Peak'' is a 2015 gothic romance film directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins. The film stars Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, and Jim Beaver. The story, set in Edw ...
'' (2015). The following year, she reprised her role as Alice in the fantasy film ''
Alice Through the Looking Glass ''Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'' (also known as ''Alice Through the Looking-Glass'' or simply ''Through the Looking-Glass'') is a novel published on 27 December 1871 (though indicated as 1872) by Lewis Carroll and the ...
'', and has since appeared in a number of independent films.


Early life

Wasikowska was born on 25 October 1989 She states her birthdate at 3:20 in the video interview: "My birthdate is the 25th of October". Stated age at article date gives year as 1989 in Canberra, Australia. She attended Cook Primary School, Ainslie Primary School and
Canberra High School Canberra High School is a years 7–10 public co-educational high school in Macquarie, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. It was established in 1938. History Canberra High School was established in 1938 and was previously si ...
, and
Karabar High School Karabar High School is a Education in Australia#Government schools, government-funded Mixed-sex education, co-educational dual modality partially Selective school (New South Wales), academically selective and Comprehensive school, comprehensive ...
in Queanbeyan, which neighbours Canberra. She has an older sister, Jess, and a younger brother, Kai. Her mother, Marzena Wasikowska, is a Polish-born photographer, while her father, John Reid, is an Australian photographer and collagist. In 1998, when she was eight years old, Wasikowska and her family moved to Szczecin, Poland for a year, after her mother received a grant to produce a collection of work based on her own experience of emigrating from Poland to Australia in 1974 at the age of 11. Wasikowska and her siblings took part in the production as subjects; she explained to
Johanna Schneller Johanna Schneller is an American-born Canadian film journalist and television personality, currently the host of the film talk show '' The Filmmakers'' on CBC Television. A freelance celebrity interviewer for such publications as '' Vanity Fair'' ...
of ''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'' in July 2010, "We never had to smile or perform. We weren't always conscious of being photographed. We'd just do our thing, and she'd take pictures of us." At the age of nine, Wasikowska began studying ballet with Jackie Hallahan at the Canberra Dance Development Centre, with hopes of going professional. She began dancing ''
en pointe Pointe technique ( ) is the part of classical ballet technique that concerns ''pointe work'', in which a ballet dancer supports all body weight on the tips of fully extended feet within pointe shoes. A dancer is said to be ''en pointe'' () wh ...
'' at thirteen, and was training 35 hours a week in addition to attending school full-time. Her daily routine consisted of leaving school in the early afternoon and dancing until nine o'clock at night. A spur on her heel hampered her dancing. Her passion for ballet also waned due to the increasing pressure to achieve physical perfection and her growing dissatisfaction with that world in general, and she quit at 14. However, she credits ballet with improving her ability to handle her nerves in auditions. At the same time, she had been exposed to European and Australian cinema at an early age, and was particularly moved by
Krzysztof Kieślowski Krzysztof Kieślowski (; 27 June 1941 – 13 March 1996) was a Polish film director and screenwriter. He is known internationally for '' Dekalog'' (1989), ''The Double Life of Veronique'' (1991), and the ''Three Colours'' trilogy (1993 –1994 ...
's ''Three Colours'' trilogy and Gillian Armstrong's ''
My Brilliant Career ''My Brilliant Career'' is a 1901 novel written by Miles Franklin. It is the first of many novels by Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (1879–1954), one of the major Australian writers of her time. It was written while she was still a teenager, ...
''. Although shy and averse to performing during her school years, she was inspired to try to break into acting after seeing
Holly Hunter Holly Patricia Hunter (born March 20, 1958) is an American actress. For her performance as Ada McGrath in the 1993 drama film '' The Piano'', Hunter won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She earned three additional Academy Award nominations for ...
in ''
The Piano ''The Piano'' is a 1993 historical drama, period drama film written and directed by Jane Campion. Starring Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, and Anna Paquin in her first major acting role, the film focuses on a Elective mutism, mute Scott ...
'' and
Gena Rowlands Virginia Cathryn "Gena" Rowlands (born June 19, 1930) is an American retired actress, whose career in film, stage, and television has spanned seven decades. A four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner, she is known for her collaborations w ...
in ''
A Woman Under the Influence ''A Woman Under the Influence'' is a 1974 American drama film written and directed by John Cassavetes. The story follows a woman ( Gena Rowlands) whose unusual behavior leads to conflict with her blue-collar husband (Peter Falk) and family. It re ...
''. She felt acting in film was a way to explore human imperfections. She looked up 12 Australian talent agencies on the Internet and contacted them all, but received only one response. Despite her lack of acting experience, she arranged a meeting after persistent callbacks.


Career


2005–2009: Early work

Wasikowska landed her first acting role in 2004 with a two-episode stint on the Australian soap '' All Saints''. She had just turned 15 when she was cast in her Australian film debut, '' Suburban Mayhem'' (2006), for which she was nominated for a Young Actor's
AFI AFI may refer to: * ''Address-family identifier'', a 16 bit field of the Routing Information Protocol * Ashton Fletcher Irwin, an Australian drummer * AFI (band), an American rock band ** ''AFI'' (2004 album), a retrospective album by AFI rele ...
Award. That year she also appeared in her first short film, ''Lens Love Story'', in which she had no dialogue. In 2007, Wasikowska appeared in the crocodile horror film '' Rogue,'' alongside
Radha Mitchell Radha Rani Amber Indigo Ananda Mitchell is an Australian actress. She started her career with various appearances on Australian television, including a regular role as Catherine O'Brien in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' (1996–97). Mitchell la ...
and
Sam Worthington Samuel Henry John Worthington (born 2 August 1976) is an Australian actor. He is best known for playing Jake Sully in ''Avatar'' and its sequel, ''Avatar: The Way of Water''; Marcus Wright in ''Terminator Salvation'', and Perseus in '' Clash o ...
. She observed quietly on the set; fellow actor Stephen Curry noted, "We didn't hear a peep out of her for three weeks, which earned her the nickname of 'Rowdy'". She beat nearly 200 other actresses for a part in the drama ''
September September is the ninth month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars, the third of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the fourth of five months to have a length of fewer than 31 days. September in the Northern H ...
'' (2007) when she was cast on the spot by director Peter Carstairs following her audition. She starred in
Spencer Susser Spencer Susser (born 1977) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. Susser is the only American member of the Australian filmmaking collective Blue-Tongue Films. His short film '' I Love Sarah Jane'', featuring Mia Wasikowska, ...
's acclaimed short film '' I Love Sarah Jane,'' which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. At the age of seventeen, Wasikowska received her first big break role in the United States when she was cast as Sophie, a suicidal gymnast, in HBO's acclaimed weekly drama ''
In Treatment ''In Treatment'' is an American drama television series for HBO, produced and developed by Rodrigo Garcia, based on the Israeli series '' BeTipul'' ( he, בטיפול), created by Hagai Levi, Ori Sivan and Nir Bergman. The series is about a ...
''; she auditioned for the role by videotape. The part required her to leave school in Canberra and move to Los Angeles for three months, while enrolling in
correspondence courses Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...
. She earned critical acclaim for her performance as the troubled teenager treated by psychotherapist Paul Weston (
Gabriel Byrne Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, audiobook narrator, and author. His acting career began in the Focus Theatre before he joined London's Royal Court Theatre in 1979. Byrne's s ...
), which included praise for her American accent. She revealed in an October 2008 interview with ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' that she was something of a mimic as a child, and that the widely available American films and TV shows in Australia made it easier for Australians to learn to speak like Americans. This show enabled Wasikowska to gain roles in American films. She played Chaya, the young wife of Asael Bielski (
Jamie Bell Andrew James Matfin Bell (born 14 March 1986) is an English actor and dancer. He rose to prominence for his debut role in ''Billy Elliot'' (2000), for which he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, becoming one of the youngest ...
) in '' Defiance'' (2008). Director Edward Zwick cast her, explaining to the Australian edition of ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'', "Her inner life is so vivid that it comes across even when she's being still." Her next role was as aviation pioneer
Elinor Smith Elinor Smith (August 17, 1911 – March 19, 2010) was a pioneering American aviator,Phyllis R. MosesThe Amazing Aviatrix Elinor Smith ''Woman Pilot'', March 30, 2008. Accessed online December 15, 2008. once known as "The Flying Flapper of Free ...
in
Mira Nair Mira Nair (born 15 October 1957) is an Indian-American filmmaker based in New York City. Her production company, Mirabai Films, specializes in films for international audiences on Indian society, whether in the economic, social or cultural spher ...
's 2009 biopic '' Amelia''. In June 2008, for her work on ''In Treatment'', she received an Australians in Film Breakthrough Award. Wasikowska played the supporting role of Pamela Choat in the 2009
Southern Gothic Southern Gothic is an artistic subgenre of fiction, country music, film and television that are heavily influenced by Gothic elements and the American South. Common themes of Southern Gothic include storytelling of deeply flawed, disturbing or ...
independent film ''
That Evening Sun "That Evening Sun" is a short story by the American author William Faulkner, published in 1931 in the collection '' These 13'', which included Faulkner's most anthologized story, "A Rose for Emily". The story was originally published, in a slight ...
'' opposite
Hal Holbrook Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. (February 17, 1925 – January 23, 2021) was an American actor, television director, and screenwriter. He first received critical acclaim in 1954 for a one-man stage show that he developed called '' Mark Twain Tonight!'' ...
. Director
Scott Teems Scott Teems is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work on ''That Evening Sun'' (2009), '' The Quarry'' (2020), ''Halloween Kills'' (2021), and '' Firestarter'' (2022). Career In 2009, Teems started his car ...
, seeking a young actress who bore a resemblance to
Sissy Spacek Mary Elizabeth Spacek (; born December 25, 1949) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and nominations for four Britis ...
, initially balked at the casting director's suggestion of Wasikowska for the role. He wanted to cast all native Southerners for the sake of authenticity. However, after auditions with other actresses were unsuccessful, Teems relented and summoned Wasikowska for as audition. During the two hours she had to prepare, she watched '' Coal Miner's Daughter'' online to quickly learn a Southern accent, and impressed Teems enough to be the only non-American actor in the film. She was nominated for a 2009
Independent Spirit Award The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glas ...
for Best Supporting Female, and the film received a South by Southwest award for Best Ensemble Cast.


2010–2016: Breakthrough and critical acclaim

In July 2008, Wasikowska was cast as the eponymous heroine in
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), '' Edward Scissorhands'' (1990), '' The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993 ...
's version of '' Alice in Wonderland'', alongside Johnny Depp,
Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received various awards and nominations, including a British Academy Film Award a ...
and
Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, she was among the world's highest-paid actresses in 2 ...
. She sent a videotaped audition to casting directors in London, and her first live reading in Los Angeles occurred on the same day as her ''Evening Sun'' audition. After three more auditions in London, she was given the role. Burton cited her "old-soul quality" as a catalyst in casting her: "Because you're witnessing this whole thing through her eyes, it needed somebody who can subtly portray that." Wasikowska portrayed a nineteen-year-old Alice returning to Wonderland for the first time in over a decade after fleeing from an unwanted marriage proposal. Her affinity for the character played a part in her desire for the role, as she had read the
Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are '' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequ ...
books as a child and was a fan of
Jan Švankmajer Jan Švankmajer (; born 4 September 1934) is a Czech filmmaker and artist whose work spans several media. He is a self-labeled surrealist known for his stop-motion animations and features, which have greatly influenced other artists such as Ter ...
's 1988 stop-motion film '' Alice''. She considered Burton's film as a chance to explore a deeper characterisation of Alice, to whom she felt young women her age could relate, saying: "Alice has a certain discomfort within herself, within society and among her peers; I ..have definitely felt similarly about all of those things, so I could really understand her not fitting in. Alice also san observer who is thinking a lot, and that's similar to how I am." For
Lisa Cholodenko Lisa Cholodenko (born June 5, 1964) is an American screenwriter and director. Cholodenko wrote and directed the films '' High Art'' (1998), ''Laurel Canyon'' (2002), and '' The Kids Are All Right'' (2010). She has also directed television, includ ...
's indie comedy '' The Kids Are All Right'', Wasikowska was cast as Joni, the bookish daughter of a lesbian couple (
Annette Bening Annette Carol Bening (born May 29, 1958) is an American actress. She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including a British Academy Film Award and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominati ...
and
Julianne Moore Julie Anne Smith (born December 3, 1960), known professionally as Julianne Moore, is an American actress. Prolific in film since the early 1990s, she is particularly known for her portrayals of emotionally troubled women in independent films, ...
) who was conceived via
artificial insemination Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment ...
. At her younger brother's (
Josh Hutcherson Joshua Ryan Hutcherson (born October 12, 1992) is an American actor and producer. Hutcherson began acting in the early 2000s and appeared in several commercials and minor film and television roles before landing his first major role in 2002 in ...
) request, she seeks out their
biological father A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fath ...
(
Mark Ruffalo Mark Alan Ruffalo (; born November 22, 1967) is an American actor and producer best known for playing Bruce Banner / Hulk since 2012 in the superhero franchise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and in the television series '' She-Hulk: Attorne ...
). During shooting, she successfully campaigned to have Joni wear
pajamas Pajamas ( US) or pyjamas (Commonwealth) (), sometimes colloquially shortened to PJs, jammies, jam-jams, or in South Asia night suits, are several related types of clothing worn as nightwear or while lounging or performing remote work from hom ...
in several home scenes. She explained to ''
Orlando Sentinel The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company. The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by parent company, '' Tribune P ...
'' film critic Roger Moore, " oni'svery comfortable in her place, with who she is. So I pushed to have her, whenever she was at home, in her pajamas. That's comfortable! And that's something I do." On 25 October, Wasikowska was honored with the Hollywood Awards' Breakthrough Actress Award, which was presented to her by Bryce Dallas Howard, and she won the Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actress on 12 December for her performance in ''Alice in Wonderland''. According to ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'', ''Alice in Wonderland'' was amongst the highest-grossing films of 2010 with $1.025 billion. As of May 2022, it is the 44th-highest-grossing film of all time. From March to May 2010, Wasikowska filmed
Cary Fukunaga Cary Joji Fukunaga (born July 10, 1977) is an American filmmaker. He first gained recognition for writing and directing the 2009 film '' Sin nombre'' and the 2011 adaptation of ''Jane Eyre''. He was the first director of partial East Asian des ...
's adaptation of ''
Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...
'', in which she starred as the
title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
opposite Michael Fassbender as
Mr. Rochester Edward Fairfax Rochester (often referred to as Mr Rochester) is a character in Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel ''Jane Eyre''. The brooding master of Thornfield Hall, Rochester is the employer and eventual husband of the novel's titular protagonist ...
. She began reading the novel after completion of ''Alice in Wonderland'', during which she asked her agent if a script existed. Two months later, she received a script and was asked to meet with Fukunaga Fukunaga was unfamiliar with her work and was undecided about casting her, so he sought the opinion of director Gus Van Sant, who had worked with Wasikowska on his 2011 film '' Restless.'' Fukunga told ''BlackBook'' magazine in February 2011, "Gus wrote back: 'Cast her.'" Due to a scheduling conflict, she had to withdraw from the lead in
Julia Leigh Julia Leigh (born 1970) is an Australian novelist, film director and screenwriter. In 2011 her debut feature film '' Sleeping Beauty'' was selected to screen in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival. She is an author of two award-wi ...
's 2011 Australian independent film ''
Sleeping Beauty ''Sleeping Beauty'' (french: La belle au bois dormant, or ''The Beauty in the Sleeping Forest''; german: Dornröschen, or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess cu ...
'', and she was replaced by Emily Browning. Wasikowska appeared in '' Restless'' (2011), which was filmed from November to December 2009. The portrayal of her character, a terminally ill sixteen-year-old, required her to crop her long hair. From December 2010 to February 2011, Wasikowska filmed Rodrigo García's ''
Albert Nobbs ''Albert Nobbs'' is a 2011 drama film directed by Rodrigo García and starring Glenn Close. The screenplay, by Close, John Banville and Gabriella Prekop, is based on the 1927 novella ''Albert Nobbs'' by George Moore. The film received mixed ...
'', for which she was a last-minute replacement for
Amanda Seyfried Amanda Michelle Seyfried ( ; born December 3, 1985) is an American actress. Born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania, she began modeling at age 11 and ventured into acting at 15, with recurring roles as Lucy Montgomery on the CBS soap opera ...
. On 21 April 2011, Wasikowska was named in the ''Time'' 100, a listing of the world's most influential people, which featured a brief essay written by ''Albert Nobbs'' co-star
Glenn Close Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, Close has garnered numerous accolades, including two Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards ...
. In June, Wasikowska was invited to join the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...
. In December, she was among a group of actors who filmed a series of shorts from ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' titled ''Touch of Evil'', which honored the art of cinematic villainy. In 2011, Wasikowska played the small supporting role of
Shia LaBeouf Shia Saide LaBeouf (; born June 11, 1986) is an American actor, performance artist, and filmmaker. He played Louis Stevens in the Disney Channel series ''Even Stevens'', a role for which he received Young Artist Award nominations in 2001 and ...
's character's love interest in
John Hillcoat John Hillcoat (born 1960) is an Australian-Canadian film director, screenwriter, and music video director. Early life Hillcoat was born in Queensland, Australia, and was raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. As a child, his paintings were featur ...
's '' Lawless''. Later in the year, she filmed the lead in
Park Chan-wook Park Chan-wook ( ; born 23 August 1963) is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, producer, and former film critic. He is considered as one of the most prominent filmmakers of South Korean cinema as well as world cinema in 21st century. ...
's English-language debut, '' Stoker''. ''Lawless'' premiered at Cannes in May 2012, while ''Stoker'' debuted at Sundance in January 2013. Wasikowska also appeared in
Miu Miu Miu Miu is an Italian high fashion women's clothing and accessory brand and a fully owned subsidiary of Prada. It is headed by Miuccia Prada and headquartered in Paris, France. History Miu Miu was established in 1992 by Miuccia Prada. The name ...
's spring 2012 fashion campaign. In 2012, she made her second appearance in a '' Vanity Fair'' Hollywood Issue, this time being featured on the cover panel. Filming of her next project,
Richard Ayoade Richard Ellef Ayoade ( ; born 23 May 1977) is a British actor, comedian, broadcaster and filmmaker. He is best known for his role as socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom ''The IT Crowd'' (2006–2013), for which he ...
's '' The Double'', began in the UK in May 2012. In July, she shot Jim Jarmusch's vampire drama ''
Only Lovers Left Alive ''Only Lovers Left Alive'' is a 2013 fantasy comedy-drama film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, starring Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Anton Yelchin, Jeffrey Wright, Slimane Dazi and John Hurt. An international co-producti ...
'', in which she plays the younger sister of
Tilda Swinton Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition t ...
's character. Filming of '' Tracks'', director John Curran's adaptation of the
Robyn Davidson Robyn Davidson (born 6 September 1950) is an Australian writer best known for her 1980 book ''Tracks'', about her 2,700 km (1,700 miles) trek across the deserts of Western Australia using camels. Her career of travelling and writing about ...
memoir of the same name, began in October 2012 in Australia, with Wasikowska in the lead role. The film was screened in competition at the 2013
Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival h ...
. Wasikowska made her directorial debut on a segment of '' The Turning'', a collection of short stories by Australian author
Tim Winton Timothy John Winton (born 4 August 1960) is an Australian writer. He has written novels, children's books, non-fiction books, and short stories. In 1997, he was named a Living Treasure by the National Trust of Australia, and has won the Miles Fr ...
. It premiered in August 2013 at the Melbourne International Film Festival. In July 2013, she began filming David Cronenberg's ''
Maps to the Stars ''Maps to the Stars'' is a 2014 internationally co-produced satirical drama film directed by David Cronenberg, and starring Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Robert Pattinson, Olivia Williams, Sarah Gadon, and Evan Bird. The screen ...
'' in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
. The film was released in 2014. She next played the title role in
Sophie Barthes Sophie Barthes (born 1974) is a French-American film director and screenwriter best known for her 2009 film ''Cold Souls''. Early life Barthes was born in France and was raised in South America and the Middle East. She moved to New York in 2001 t ...
' film adaptation of ''
Madame Bovary ''Madame Bovary'' (; ), originally published as ''Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners'' ( ), is a novel by French writer Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856. The eponymous character lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and emp ...
'', which began shooting on 30 September 2014 in
Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
, France. Wasikowska replaced Emma Stone in Guillermo del Toro's
gothic romance Gothic fiction, sometimes called Gothic horror in the 20th century, is a loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name is a reference to Gothic architecture of the European Middle Ages, which was characteristic of the settings of ea ...
''
Crimson Peak ''Crimson Peak'' is a 2015 gothic romance film directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins. The film stars Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, and Jim Beaver. The story, set in Edw ...
'' (2015), where she starred alongside
Tom Hiddleston Thomas William Hiddleston (born 9 February 1981) is an English actor. He gained international fame portraying Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), starting with ''Thor'' in 2011 and most recently in the Disney+ series ''Loki'' in 2021 ...
and Jessica Chastain. Production commenced in February 2014. The film premiered at
Fantastic Fest Fantastic Fest is an annual film festival in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 2005 by Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News, Paul Alvarado-Dykstra, and Tim McCanlies, writer of ''The Iron Giant'' and ''Secondhand ...
on 25 September 2015, and was later released in the United States in October. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising the production values, performances and direction. Regarding her performance, Sara Stewart of the ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...
'' wrote that "Chastain and Wasikowska take center stage while Hiddleston flutters around like one of Allerdale's huge black moths. Watching the women square off within del Toro's eye-popping, painterly palette is a feast for the eyes, if not particularly substantial fare for the mind." In 2016, Wasikowska reprised the role of Alice in ''
Alice Through the Looking Glass ''Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'' (also known as ''Alice Through the Looking-Glass'' or simply ''Through the Looking-Glass'') is a novel published on 27 December 1871 (though indicated as 1872) by Lewis Carroll and the ...
''. Despite receiving generally negative reviews and fare badly at the box office, critics praised its performances and visual effects. This was Wasikowska's last major film studio release before moving on to appear in more independent films.


2017–present: Independent films

In May 2015, Wasikowska joined the cast of
Cédric Jimenez Cédric Jimenez (born 26 June 1976) is a French film producer, film director and screenwriter. Career Jimenez's 2014 film '' The Connection'' (''La French''), starring Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin, premiered at the Toronto International Fi ...
's historical thriller '' The Man with the Iron Heart'', based on the novel '' HHhH''. She starred alongside
Jason Clarke Jason Clarke (born 17 July 1969) is an Australian actor. He has appeared in many TV series, and is known for playing Tommy Caffee on the television series '' Brotherhood''. He has also appeared in many films, often as an antagonist. His film r ...
,
Rosamund Pike Rosamund Mary Ellen Pike (born 1979) is a British actress. She began her acting career by appearing in stage productions such as ''Romeo and Juliet'' and ''Gas Light''. After her screen debut in the television film ''A Rather English Marriage'' ...
,
Jack O'Connell Jack O'Connell may refer to: * Jack O'Connell (actor) (born 1990), English actor * Jack O'Connell (Australian politician) (1903–1972), member of the Victorian Legislative Council * Jack O'Connell (diplomat) (1921–2010), American diplomat and C ...
and
Jack Reynor Jack Reynor (born 23 January 1992) is an Irish-American actor. His notable roles include the films '' What Richard Did'', '' Transformers: Age of Extinction'', ''Glassland'', ''Macbeth'', '' Sing Street'', and ''Midsommar'', as well as the seri ...
.
Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
began 14 September 2015 in
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...
and
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
, and ended on 1 February 2016. The film was released in 2017. The same year, she starred in Spike Jonze's stage show ''Changers: A Dance Story'', alongside Lakeith Stanfield. Featuring dance choreography by Ryan Heffington, the show premiered at an Opening Ceremony fashion week presentation in September 2017 before opening to the public for a four-night run at the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. In 2018, she appeared in David and Nathan Zellner's black comedy western ''
Damsel Mademoiselle () is a French courtesy title, abbreviated Mlle, traditionally given to an unmarried woman. The equivalent in English is "Miss". The courtesy title " Madame" is accorded women where their marital status is unknown. From around 1970 o ...
'', reuniting with her ''Maps to the Stars'' co-star Robert Pattinson, and in
Nicolas Pesce Nicolas Pesce () is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing and writing the horror films ''The Eyes of My Mother'' (2016), ''Piercing'' (2018) and ''The Grudge'' (2020). Life and career Nicolas Pesce was born, and currently reside ...
's psychosexual thriller ''
Piercing Body piercing, which is a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal ...
'', based on
Ryū Murakami is a Japanese novelist, short story writer, essayist, and filmmaker. His novels explore human nature through themes of disillusionment, drug use, surrealism, murder, and war, set against the dark backdrop of Japan. His best known novels are ''Al ...
's 1994 novel of the same name. The following year, she starred in
Mirrah Foulkes Mirrah Foulkes is an Australian director, screenwriter, and film and television actress. She was raised on the Sunshine Coast, in South East Queensland, Australia. She has appeared in films such as '' Animal Kingdom'' (2010), ''Sleeping Beauty ...
' feature directorial debut ''
Judy and Punch ''Judy and Punch'' is a 2019 Australian period black comedy film written and directed by Mirrah Foulkes in her feature directorial debut, based on a story by Foulkes, Eddy Moretti, Lucy Punch, and Tom Punch. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Damon Her ...
''. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on 27 January 2019. From July to August of 2019, Wasikowska made her theatre debut as Ralph in the Sydney Theatre Company production of Nigel Williams' stage adaptation of William Golding's ''
Lord of the Flies ''Lord of the Flies'' is a 1954 novel by the Nobel Prize-winning British author William Golding. The plot concerns a group of British boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempts to govern themselves. Themes ...
''. She next appeared in Roger Michell's drama '' Blackbird'', alongside
Susan Sarandon Susan Abigail Sarandon (; née Tomalin; born October 4, 1946) is an American actorMcCabe, Bruce"Susan Sarandon, the 'actor'" ''Boston Globe''. April 17, 1981. Retrieved January 21, 2021. and activist. She is the recipient of various accolades, ...
and Kate Winslet. It had its world premiere at the
Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...
on 6 September 2019. Wasikowska's sole release of 2020 was
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
's '' The Devil All the Time'', an adaptation of the novel of the same name by
Donald Ray Pollock Donald Ray Pollock (born December 23, 1954) is an American writer. He first published his collection of short stories, ''Knockemstiff'', in 2008, based on his experiences growing up in Knockemstiff, Ohio. His debut novel, ''The Devil All the Time ...
directed by Antonio Campos. She was part of an ensemble cast formed by
Tom Holland Thomas Stanley Holland (born 1 June 1996) is an English actor. His accolades include a British Academy Film Award, three Saturn Awards, a Guinness World Record and an appearance on the ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30 Europe list. Some publications h ...
,
Bill Skarsgård Bill Istvan Günther Skarsgård (; born 9 August 1990) is a Swedish actor, producer, director, writer, voice actor, and model. He is best known for portraying Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the supernatural horror films '' It'' (2017) and '' It ...
,
Riley Keough Danielle Riley Keough ( ; born May 29, 1989) is an American actress, notable for being the daughter of musicians Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough, and granddaughter of actress Priscilla Presley and singer Elvis Presley, and starting a succes ...
,
Sebastian Stan Sebastian Stan (born August 13, 1982) is a Romanian-American actor. He gained recognition for his role as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe media franchise beginning with the film '' Captain America: The First Ave ...
and previous collaborators Clarke and Pattinson, among others names. In 2021, she starred in
Mia Hansen-Løve Mia Hansen-Løve (born 5 February 1981) is a French film director, screenwriter, and former actress. She has won several accolades for her work. Her first feature film, '' All Is Forgiven'', won the Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film in 200 ...
's '' Bergman Island'', alongside
Vicky Krieps Vicky Krieps (born 4 October 1983) is a Luxembourgish-German actress. She has appeared in a number of American, Luxembourgish, French and German productions. Krieps' breakthrough role was in Paul Thomas Anderson's Academy Award-winning film ''Pha ...
,
Tim Roth Timothy Simon Roth (born 14 May 1961) is an English actor and producer. He began acting on films and television series in the 1980s. He was among a group of prominent British actors of the era, the " Brit Pack". He made his television debut ...
and Anders Danielsen Lie. The film had its world premiere at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
on 11 July 2021.


Upcoming projects

As of 2021, Wasikowska has moved to focus more on directing and filmmaking with a feature film script written and currently seeking financiers. She will star in
Robert Connolly Robert Connolly (born 1967) is an Australian film director, producer and screenwriter based in Melbourne, Victoria. He is best known as the director and writer of the feature films '' Balibo'', ''Three Dollars'' and '' The Bank'', and the produce ...
's family drama '' Blueback'', alongside
Eric Bana Eric Banadinović, (born 9 August 1968), known professionally as Eric Bana (), is an Australian actor and comedian. He began his career in the sketch comedy series '' Full Frontal'' before gaining notice in the comedy drama '' The Castle'' (19 ...
, which is scheduled to premiere at the
2022 Toronto International Film Festival The 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, the 47th event in the Toronto International Film Festival series, is scheduled to be held from September 8 to 18, 2022. Festival organizers have indicated that the 2022 festival will be staged primar ...
on 10 September 2022. In February 2022, it was announced that Wasikowska will portray an unusual schoolteacher in
Jessica Hausner Jessica Hausner (born 6 October 1972) is an Austrian film director and screenwriter. She received international attention in 2001 when her film ''Lovely Rita'', a portrait of a young girl who feels confined by family constraints, was screened i ...
's second English-language film ''Club Zero''. Filming began in the United Kingdom and Austria in July.


Personal life

In her spare time, Wasikowska is an avid photographer, often chronicling her travels and capturing images of her film sets with a
Rolleiflex Rolleiflex is the name of a long-running and diverse line of high-end cameras originally made by the German company Franke & Heidecke, and later Rollei-Werke. History The "Rolleiflex" name is most commonly used to refer to Rollei's premier ...
camera. During production of ''Jane Eyre,'' she had a secret pocket sewn into one of her costumes to conceal a digital camera that she used between takes. One of her on-set images, of Fukunaga and ''Jane Eyre'' co-star
Jamie Bell Andrew James Matfin Bell (born 14 March 1986) is an English actor and dancer. He rose to prominence for his debut role in ''Billy Elliot'' (2000), for which he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, becoming one of the youngest ...
, was selected as a finalist in the 2011
National Photographic Portrait Prize The National Photographic Portrait Prize is an annual portraiture competition held at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, Australia. The major sponsor of the prize in 2022 is the gallery itself, which awards to the winner, while Canon ...
hosted by Australia's National Portrait Gallery on 24 February 2011. From 2013 to 2015, Wasikowska dated actor
Jesse Eisenberg Jesse Adam Eisenberg (; born October 5, 1983) is an American actor, writer, and director. He has received various accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. ...
, her co-star in '' The Double''. Wasikowska resides in
Bronte, New South Wales Bronte is a beachside suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bronte Beach is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the Waverley Council local government area of the Eastern Suburbs. Bronte ...
. She speaks some
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
.


Filmography


Film


Television


Video games


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wasikowska, Mia 1989 births Living people 21st-century Australian actresses Actresses from Canberra Australian child actresses Australian film actresses Australian people of Polish descent Australian television actresses