Mia Goth: From Indie Darling to Modern Scream Queen
Mia Gypsy Mello da Silva Goth, born on October 25, 1993, in London, England, is an acclaimed English actress whose work has spanned arthouse cinema, period dramas, and the world of horror. A Scorpio by zodiac sign, she has steadily carved out a place as one of the most intriguing performers of her generation. Known for her haunting screen presence and ability to fully inhabit complex roles, Goth has transitioned from modeling as a teenager to becoming a celebrated scream queen in the X film series.
Early Life and Global Upbringing
Mia Goth’s early life was marked by movement between continents and cultures. Born in Guy’s Hospital in London to a Brazilian mother and Canadian father from Nova Scotia, she came from a family steeped in the arts — her maternal grandfather is American artist Lee Jaffe, and her maternal grandmother is Brazilian actress Maria Gladys.
Just two weeks after her birth, she and her mother moved to Brazil so her young mother could receive family support. At age five, they returned to the United Kingdom, and by age ten, they had relocated to Canada to live with her father. That year alone, Goth attended nine different schools, a period she later described as very difficult. Eventually, she and her mother returned to southeast London, where she attended Sydenham School. Raised in a single-parent household, Goth watched her mother work as a waitress to support them, an experience that shaped her resilience and independence.
From Modeling to Acting Breakthroughs
Goth’s career began at 16 when she was discovered at London’s Underage Festival by fashion photographer Gemma Booth, leading to a contract with Storm Model Management. Her modeling work included campaigns for Miu Miu and Prada, and appearances in major fashion publications such as Vogue Italia, W, Love, AnOther, and British Vogue.
While modeling opened doors, Goth’s real ambition lay in acting. She began auditioning for films as a teenager and, after finishing sixth form, landed her first film role in Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac (2013), appearing alongside Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe. Television soon followed, with a role in The Tunnel, and she continued building her resume with work in music videos and short films, including Magpie and Future Unlimited’s “Haunted Love,” directed by Shia LaBeouf.
Her versatility was evident early on — from playing Milja in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Survivalist (2015), to Meg Weathers in the big-budget survival drama Everest, and a role in BBC One’s Wallander.
Establishing Herself in Film
By the mid-2010s, Mia Goth had cemented her reputation for choosing unconventional, challenging projects. She starred in Gore Verbinski’s psychological horror A Cure for Wellness (2016), Luca Guadagnino’s 2018 remake of Suspiria, and Claire Denis’s High Life (2018). In 2020, she appeared in the period comedy Emma, followed by the action drama Mayday (2021).
Her fashion roots remained strong — in 2023, she made her runway debut by opening the Miu Miu Fall/Winter show. But it was in horror that she would experience her biggest career breakthrough.
Rise as a Modern Horror Icon
In 2022, Goth starred in Ti West’s slasher film X, playing both aspiring actress Maxine Minx and elderly antagonist Pearl — a feat made possible by hours in prosthetic makeup. Her ability to capture the vulnerability and ambition of Maxine while embodying Pearl’s menacing presence earned widespread acclaim. West himself praised her deep understanding of both characters, and critics lauded her as a standout talent.
Immediately after wrapping X, Goth co-wrote and filmed the prequel Pearl, which was released later in 2022. Her performance drew some of the best reviews of her career, earning her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Lead Performance.
Goth continued her momentum with Brandon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool (2023), a performance Rolling Stone described as proof she’s “the single most interesting actor working in genre movies at the moment.” In 2024, she reprised her role as Maxine in MaXXXine, the third film in the X series, which drew mixed reviews for the script but consistent praise for her work.
Looking ahead, Goth’s slate includes major roles in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Marvel’s Blade as Lilith, and Star Wars: Starfighter as the main antagonist.
Personal Life and Public Moments
Mia Goth met American actor Shia LaBeouf while filming Nymphomaniac in 2012. The pair took part in what appeared to be a wedding ceremony in Las Vegas in 2016, later confirmed as a legal marriage by LaBeouf. They separated in 2018, but reconciled by 2022, the year their daughter was born.
In 2024, Goth made headlines when she was sued by background actor James Hunter, who alleged verbal and physical assault on the set of MaXXXine. The film’s studio, A24, denied the allegations and defended Goth publicly.
A Career Defined by Risk and Range
From her beginnings as a model to her emergence as a leading actress in some of the decade’s most talked-about horror films, Mia Goth has consistently chosen roles that defy easy categorization. Whether in period dramas, experimental sci-fi, or blood-soaked slashers, she brings a singular intensity to the screen.
As a Scorpio born in England with Brazilian and Canadian heritage, Goth’s multicultural background and nomadic childhood seem to have infused her performances with depth and adaptability. In just over a decade, she has become one of the most compelling faces in contemporary cinema — and shows no sign of slowing down.
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