From Hollywood to Home: Why Mia Wasikowska Left Hollywood For Australia

Jessica Wilson
Nov 10, 2023
Nov 10, 2023

Mia Wasikowska's rise to fame in Hollywood at the age of 15 and that brought her star roles. For this reason, her workload was enormous and her life was filled with tons of schedules. The relentless workload took a toll.

Eventually, she decided it was time for a change and returned to her native Australia. This shift marked a significant turn in her life, trading the Hollywood spotlight for a quest for simplicity and authenticity. So far, Mia has no regrets about her journey from Hollywood back to her hometown.

Source: Getty Images

Mia Wasikowska was born and raised in Australia, where she debuted as an actress at age 15. Her early success paved the way for her Hollywood journey and she had an experience in Los Angeles but not in a positive way. She clearly saw the city’s less glamorous side, which left her without desire to make it a permanent residence there.

Source: Alice in Wonderland / Walt Disney Pictures

When turning 18, Mia Wasikowska portrayed Alice, the main character in the adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s novel. The movie was a big hit and it helped her become a major movie star. But, everything has its own price. She constantly got many movie projects and that seriously affected her education. After a short period of time, she was forced to choose between school and film as the studio stopped hiring teachers for her. The girl opted for filming so that was why she did not graduate from her high school.

Source: Getty Images

Diverse projects constantly came to her and that took her to various cities and countries, each for several months at a time. Initially, the experience was thrilling, but with time, a sense of isolation began to creep in. The constant relocations deepened her introverted tendencies, making it challenging to maintain a vibrant social life. When she eventually returned to her native Australia, she found herself with fewer and fewer people she wanted to share her homecoming with.

As time went on, Mia found her passion for acting slowly waning. Accepting new roles became a daunting task, as burnout set in, leaving her questioning the purpose behind it all. The once meaningful actions she took for her roles now seemed trivial. It was then that she made the conscious choice to take a hiatus and return to her roots in Australia. Settling in Sydney, she embarked on a new chapter, immersing herself in the local theater scene.

Source: Getty Images

When Mia received an offer for a role in the film "Blueback," she was initially persuaded to take it. The role required her to learn scuba diving, and Mia agreed with one condition – that the entire team would join her to witness killer whales. However, her conviction wavered just an hour after embarking on the journey. At that time, Mia was unwell, but she masked her condition, determined to see the project through. In reality, the entire trip turned out to be a challenging experience for her, although it did have its silver linings.

She shared, “We saw orcas, and it was amazing. And I did learn to scuba dive, which was amazing. That’s one of the gifts you get from filmmaking — you kind of get pushed into doing these things.”

Source: Getty Images

Reflecting on her past experiences in Hollywood, Mia realized that she had been caught on a never-ending treadmill. While there were many benefits, it didn’t suit her personality. Mia sought a balance between both worlds, occasionally immersing herself in them, but for now, she had chosen Australia as her anchor. The constant trailer life on movie sets wasn't what she wanted for her entire existence.

Nevertheless, Mia remained grateful for the lessons Hollywood had taught her over the years, and she had no intention of leaving the film industry. In fact, she contemplated stepping into the director's chair, believing it might be a better fit for her. With role models to inspire her and a fresh perspective to offer as a woman in the industry, Mia was eager to explore this new path.

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