After accepting supporting roles in several projects produced in Australia (including the 2006 Suburban Mayhem and the 2007 September), beautiful yet distinguished actress Mia Wasikowska -- a Canberra native -- broke through to international acclaim with her role as self-defeating Olympic-hopeful gymnast Sophie on the HBO series drama In Treatment (2008). That assignment predated Wasikowska's starring roles for two A-list directors: a turn as the aviator Elinor Smith in Mira Nair's biopic Amelia (2009), and another as the little girl adrift in a colorful fantasyland in Tim Burton's Lewis Carroll adaptation Alice in Wonderland (2010). Meanwhile, she also acted opposite Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and others in the WWII-era adventure drama Defiance (2008), helmed by Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai). She was the daughter of the lesbian couple at the heart of The Kids Are All Right, and acted for In Treatment show runner Rodrigo Garcia in his period drama Albert Nobbs. She earned strong reviews for her work as Jane Eyre in 2011, and starred as a teen cancer victim in Gus Van Sant's Restless.
Mia Wasikowska
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- Initially trained to become a ballerina, but switched to acting at 15 years old.
- Got her first break in 2004, appearing in the Australian drama All Saints.
- Received a Best Young Actor nomination from the Australian Film Institute for her role in the 2006 film Suburban Mayhem.
- Director Tim Burton said he cast her as the title role in Alice in Wonderland because she has "an old-soul quality" to her.
- Loves photography.