She became a Hollywood favourite after starring as the titular character in Tim Burton’s highly successful adaptation of Alice in Wonderland in 2010.
But after turning her back on Hollywood in recent years, Mia Wasikowska made a rare appearance on the red carpet at the Sydney Film Festival on Saturday.
The Australian actress, 36, stepped out for the premiere of the horror film Leviticus at Sydney’s State Theatre.
Looking chic in an all-black ensemble, Mia looked worlds away from her Hollywood days as she wore a simple black, knee-length dress, black stockings and strappy Mary Jane heels.
She completed her outfit with a black coat that featured contrasting white piping around the shoulders and sleeves.
The Crimson Peak star also ditched her long, curly blonde locks, which had been a trademark of her earlier film appearances, opting for a short, straight, blunt bob.
Mia Wasikowska, 36, made a rare appearance on the Sydney Film Festival red carpet for the Australian premiere of horror film Leviticus at Sydney’s State Theatre on Saturday
Mia, who stars in Leviticus as Naim’s mother, also posed for photos alongside actor Joe Bird, who plays Naim, and the film’s director Adrian Chiarella.
She opted for a neutral makeup palette consisting of brown eyeshadow, soft pink blush and a nude lipstick.
Mia earned huge acclaim for her performance in Tim Burton’s 2010 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland and in 2016’s Through the Looking Glass, but has since described Hollywood as ‘repressive’.
‘I think my interest is shifting and 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,’ she told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2022.
‘It just feels very repressive, you know what I mean? 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.’
Mia said she plans to keep acting but wants to carve out a place for herself as a director who also acts, rather than keeping up with the A-list image and lifestyle.
She confessed that her ambition with acting got ‘worn out’ after being propelled into the limelight as a teenager and spending years starring in huge Hollywood projects.
It was not the first time that Mia had spoken about her life in Hollywood, telling The Guardian in 2019 that the spotlight wasn’t always as rosy as it seemed.
The Aussie actress ditched her long, curly blonde locks, which had been a trademark of her earlier film appearances, opting for a short, blunt bob
Mia, who stars in Leviticus portraying Naim’s mother, also posed for photos alongside actor Joe Bird (centre), who plays Naim, and the film’s director Adrian Chiarella (left)
When asked what advice she would give to young actors, Mia said: ‘If you really, really love it – keep going but my perspective has changed.’
She continued: ‘I’ve done this job for ten years now all over the world and after a while, it leaves you feeling hollow.’
She went on to say that while she believes acting is an ‘awesome’ job she admitted: ‘The perception is different from the reality – it is really lonely.’
A self-confessed ‘introvert’, the blonde was trained as a ballet dancer in her teens before she opted to try her hand at acting.
Mia made her on screen debut in Australian drama All Saints in 2004 when she was just 15 years old and later rose to acclaim for her performance in HBO’s In Treatment.
By the time she had turned 18, she had landed the leading role in Tim Burton’s retelling of Alice In Wonderland in a film that propelled her into huge global fame.
She starred alongside Hollywood heavyweights Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter and the film saw her become one of the highest grossing actresses that year.
Mia returned to the world of Alice In Wonderland for the 2016 live-action sequel Through The Looking Glass and rose to huge Hollywood fame.
Mia looked worlds away from her famous appearance in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland
She earned huge acclaim for her performance in 2010 film, but has since described Hollywood as ‘repressive’
However, Mia confessed that the A-list lifestyle and Hollywood parties ‘destroyed’ her social life because she felt forgotten about by her friends back in her native Canberra as a teenager.
She said she never really wanted to live in Hollywood and would frequently return to Australia, before she decided to change her lifestyle and try and build a community for herself outside of Hollywood.
Mia admitted she feels somewhat ‘tarnished’ by Hollywood but said she is still grateful for her experiences, however now wants to approach the film industry in a different way.
Her latest role, Club Zero, sees Mia play a teacher who takes a job at an elite school and forms a strong bond with five students – a relationship that eventually takes a dangerous turn.
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