Mia Goth: From Wanderer to Horror Icon – Full Biography

Mia Goth was born on October 25, 1993, in Guy’s Hospital in Southwark, London, England. Her birth name reflects her diverse heritage—a combination of Portuguese and English influences that would shape her identity throughout her life.

Who Is Mia Goth?

Mia Goth wasn’t born into the entertainment industry. She didn’t have famous parents or a celebrity connection handing her roles on a silver platter. Instead, she grew up constantly moving between countries, adapting to new environments, and discovering who she really was in the process.

Today, Mia Goth stands as one of the most compelling actresses of her generation. The English actress has earned recognition as a modern horror icon and scream queen, delivering performances that critics describe as “utterly earnest and wondrously bizarre.” But her journey to becoming a horror legend is far more interesting than just the films she’s appeared in.

This comprehensive biography covers everything you need to know about Mia Goth—from her unusual childhood wandering across three countries to her breakthrough role in the X trilogy, her relationship with actor Shia LaBeouf, and why directors keep casting her in dark, disturbing masterpieces.

Early Life: A Childhood of Movement and Discovery

Family Background: Brazilian Mother, Canadian Father

Mia Goth parents come from completely different backgrounds. Her mother is Brazilian, and her father is Canadian, originally from Nova Scotia. This international combination gave Mia a multicultural perspective from birth.

Her maternal grandfather is American artist Lee Jaffe, known for his work in the art world. Her maternal grandmother is Maria Gladys, a celebrated Brazilian actress. This artistic heritage ran deep in the family—creativity and performance were in her DNA.

Mia’s mother worked as a waitress to support the family, showing incredible dedication and work ethic. This single-parent household during certain periods taught young Mia the value of resilience and determination.

The Wandering Years: Brazil, Canada, and Back Again

When Mia was just two weeks old, her mother faced a difficult decision. She was only 20 years old and needed help raising her baby. So the young family moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where Mia’s maternal grandparents lived.

For the first five years of her life, Mia Goth grew up in Brazil. She was surrounded by her grandmother’s film sets, watching her work as an actress. According to interviews, young Mia became fascinated by filmmaking. She wasn’t just watching—she was absorbing the craft, the performances, the magic of cinema.

At age five, Mia and her mother returned to the United Kingdom. They settled in southeast London, where Mia attended Sydenham School. The transition was significant, but for a five-year-old, it felt normal.

Then came the biggest disruption.

When Mia was ten years old, her mother decided to reunite the family. They moved to Nova Scotia, Canada, to live with her father. Mia described this period as very difficult. She attended nine different schools in a single school year as the family struggled to find stability.

The constant movement, the lack of belonging, and the instability could have broken her. Instead, it became her greatest training ground for acting.

Mia later reflected on this in interviews: “At one point in the process of trying to find myself, I would adopt different personalities to fit into whatever environment I was in. I think that was my first introduction to character and performance.”

By age 12, Mia and her mother moved back to London. They settled in southeast London, where Mia finally found some stability. She attended Sydenham School and started to imagine a different future for herself.

Citizenship and Identity

Because of her unique upbringing, Mia Goth holds citizenship in three countries: the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Canada. She is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese. This multicultural identity became part of her strength as an actress—she understood different perspectives, different worlds, different ways of being.

Modeling Career: Discovery at the Underage Festival

From Teen to Model: The Gemma Booth Discovery

At age 16, Mia Goth’s life changed at a music festival.

She was attending the Underage Festival in London when she was discovered by fashion photographer Gemma Booth. Booth was impressed by Mia’s unique look—fresh-faced, with an ethereal quality that stood out in a crowd.

Gemma Booth signed Mia to Storm Model Management, one of the UK’s most prestigious modeling agencies. This wasn’t a small-time modeling contract. Storm represents top-tier talent and has discovered some of the world’s biggest names.

High Fashion and Iconic Campaigns

Once signed to Storm Model Management, Mia Goth began appearing in major advertising campaigns. She modeled for luxury brands including Miu Miu and Prada—some of the most exclusive fashion houses in the world.

Her face appeared in prestigious magazines including:

• Vogue (the bible of the fashion world)
• Vogue Italia (the Italian edition)
• British Vogue (the UK version)
• W Magazine
• Love Magazine
• Dazed
• Interview Magazine
• AnOther Magazine
• Document Journal
• Glamour
• Wonderland

Mia Goth wasn’t just a background model. She was featured in major editorial spreads and campaigns. Her unusual look—that combination of freshness and mystery—made her memorable.

Runway Debut and Fashion Evolution

In 2023, Mia Goth made her runway debut, opening the Miu Miu F/W 23 Show. This was a significant moment—one of the world’s top fashion houses selected her to open their show.

At the same time, Mia was building her acting career. Unlike many models who struggle to transition to acting, Mia was strategically choosing both paths. She was using her modeling work to build her profile while pursuing serious acting roles.

Acting Career: From Art Films to Hollywood Breakthrough

First Film Role: Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac (2013)

Mia Goth began auditioning for films at age 16. After finishing sixth form in the British school system, she landed her first significant role at age 18.

Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier cast her in Nymphomaniac (2013), a sprawling erotic art film starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe. Mia played a character named P, a teenager who becomes involved with the main character Joe and her husband.

This wasn’t a mainstream Hollywood film. It was challenging, artistic, and provocative—the kind of role that established credibility with serious directors.

Mia received positive reviews for her performance. Elle Magazine profiled her in 2017, noting: “She established herself as a unique kind of actress—one who looked so fresh-faced and naïve as to resemble an actual doll, but was a mysterious and, at times, disquieting provocateur underneath.”

Early Career: Building Credibility (2014-2015)

After Nymphomaniac, Mia Goth continued pursuing challenging roles. She appeared in:

• The Tunnel (2013) – Sky Atlantic crime drama series where she played Sophie Campbell
• Magpie (2014) – An introductory short film directed by Stephen Fingleton
• The Survivalist (2015) – Where she played the lead role of Milja in a post-apocalyptic thriller

For The Survivalist, Mia’s commitment to her craft became legendary. She slept outside for the entire shoot, avoided showers, and ate very little to authentically portray a young woman surviving in the wilderness. This level of dedication caught the attention of serious filmmakers.

She also appeared in:

• Everest (2015) – A mountaineering disaster film directed by Baltasar Kormákur where she played Meg Weathers
• Wallander – A BBC One crime series where she played Hanna Helmqvist

The Horror Phase Begins: A Cure for Wellness (2016)

In 2016, Mia Goth appeared in A Cure for Wellness, a psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski. She played a mysterious resident of a sanatorium.

This role marked the beginning of her association with the horror genre. The film’s dark aesthetic and Mia’s compelling performance caught the attention of other horror directors.

Working with Legendary Directors (2017-2020)

Mia Goth’s career trajectory showed her working with increasingly respected directors:

Suspiria (2018) – Director Luca Guadagnino’s remake of the 1977 horror classic. Mia had a supporting role alongside Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton.

High Life (2018) – Directed by legendary French filmmaker Claire Denis. Mia starred opposite Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche in this sci-fi mystery about a space travel mission. Her performance demonstrated her ability to handle complex, literary material.

The Staggering Girl (2019) – A short film by Luca Guadagnino where Mia played a lead role.

Emma (2020) – Director Autumn de Wilde’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel. This was significant because Mia went against her emerging horror image. She played Harriet Smith, the innocent, kind-hearted character. This role proved she could handle period dramas and wasn’t pigeonholed into dark material.

Mayday (2021) – Director Karen Cinorre’s action-drama film where Mia played an avenging leader of a group of women. She starred alongside Grace Van Patten and Juliette Lewis.

Breakthrough Success: Becoming a Modern Horror Icon

The X Trilogy: Career Transformation (2022-2024)

Everything changed for Mia Goth when she met director Ti West and producer company A24.

In March 2022, Ti West’s slasher film X premiered to critical acclaim. The film was a love letter to 1970s horror—specifically films like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). It paid tribute to the genre while creating something new and original.

In X, Mia Goth played two roles:

Maxine Minx – A protagonist and aspiring adult film actress Pearl – An elderly woman who lives next to where the film is being shot

For the role of Pearl, Mia wore extensive prosthetic makeup and faced extensive transformation. She described the process: “It was a good 10 hours in the makeup chair, and then I’d go and do a 12-hour day on set. The makeup artist Sarah Rubano was incredible, constantly touching me up and making sure my contacts were all right.”

Director Ti West said of her dual performance: “She understood the characters really well, and she understood the duality of Maxine and Pearl.”

The film received incredible critical response. David Sims of The Atlantic wrote: “The dual showcase is a remarkable one for Goth, who previously stood out in supporting roles in Emma, High Life, and A Cure for Wellness.”

Pearl (2022): Co-Writer and Lead

Immediately after completing X, Mia Goth began filming Pearl, a prequel to X. But this time, she wasn’t just acting—she was also co-writing the script with Ti West.

Pearl released in September 2022 and received even better reviews than X. The film tells the origin story of Pearl, showing how she became the killer.

Mia’s performance was universally praised. The New York Times’s A.O. Scott called it “utterly earnest and wondrously bizarre.” Critics described it as one of the best film performances of the year.

She received a nomination for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance. The film established her as a serious actress, not just a genre performer.

Infinity Pool (2023): Proving Her Range

Between X and Pearl, Mia Goth starred in Brandon Cronenberg’s thriller Infinity Pool opposite Alexander Skarsgård. The film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

Rolling Stone’s David Fear wrote: “Goth makes an even stronger post-Pearl case for her being the single most interesting actor working in genre movies at the moment.”

This confirmed what directors already knew—Mia Goth wasn’t just a scream queen. She was a complex, compelling actress capable of carrying challenging films.

MaXXXine (2024): Completing the Trilogy

In 2024, Mia Goth reprised the role of Maxine Minx in MaXXXine, the third and final film in the X series. The story follows Maxine as she pursues a movie career in 1980s Hollywood.

The New York Times’s Jeannette Catsoulis praised her performance as “sublime.” W Magazine declared Mia Goth “a modern horror icon.”

Why Is Mia Goth Called a Scream Queen?

A scream queen is a female actress who frequently appears in horror films and becomes iconic in the genre. The term includes actresses like Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween), Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare on Elm Street), and Neve Campbell (Scream).

Mia Goth earned this title through her incredible performances in multiple horror films:

• X (2022)
• Pearl (2022)
• Infinity Pool (2023)
• A Cure for Wellness (2016)
• Suspiria (2018)

But unlike scream queens of the past, Mia Goth is more than just someone who screams in horror films. She’s an actress who transforms the genre. She brings depth, complexity, and unexpected dimensions to her characters.

Personal Life: Relationships and Family

Meeting Shia LaBeouf on Nymphomaniac

Mia Goth first met Shia LaBeouf while filming Nymphomaniac in 2012. They played scenes together in the film, and their connection extended beyond the camera.

They began dating in the early 2010s, and their relationship developed quietly while they both pursued their careers.

The Las Vegas Wedding (October 2016)

On October 10, 2016, Mia Goth and Shia LaBeouf did something unconventional. They got married in Las Vegas in a live-streamed ceremony.

The wedding was officiated by an Elvis Presley impersonator—a wildly unique choice that captured their personalities.

However, two days later, a local Vegas official claimed the pair were not legally married. The official said they had performed a commitment ceremony instead of a legal marriage.

When Shia LaBeouf appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show later that month, he confirmed they were indeed married and expressed pride in their unconventional ceremony.

Separation and Divorce (2018)

In September 2018, representatives for Shia LaBeouf announced the couple had separated and filed for divorce.

For several years, they were officially separated while both continued building their careers independently.

Reconciliation and Baby (2022)

In February 2022, surprising news emerged: Mia Goth and Shia LaBeouf had reconciled. She was pregnant with their first child.

In March 2022, their daughter was born.

By August 2022, Shia revealed their baby girl’s name publicly. The family had found their way back to each other.

Current Citizenship Status

Through her relationships and travels, Mia Goth maintains citizenship in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Canada. She speaks English fluently and is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese.

Awards and Recognition

Independent Spirit Award Nomination (2023)

For her role in Pearl, Mia Goth received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance—one of the most prestigious awards in independent cinema.

Critics’ Recognition

Mia Goth has been honored by major critics’ organizations including:

• Austin Film Critics Association
• Stoker Awards
• Canadian Screen Awards
• Chicago Film Critics Association
• Critics Choice Super Awards
• Dorian Awards (LGBTQ entertainment critics)
• Indiana Film Journalists Association
• Sitges Film Festival Awards
• San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle
• Seattle Film Critics Society
• MTV Movie & TV Awards

Legacy Building

What makes these recognitions significant isn’t just the awards themselves. It’s what they represent—a shift in how the film industry views horror and genre cinema. Directors like Ti West, Brandon Cronenberg, and Luca Guadagnino have established horror and genre cinema as serious artistic expression, and Mia Goth has become a centerpiece of that movement.

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Filmography: A Complete Overview

Feature Films (2013-2024)

Year	Film	Director	Role	Genre
2013	Nymphomaniac	Lars von Trier	P	Drama/Art
2015	The Survivalist	Stephen Fingleton	Milja	Thriller
2015	Everest	Baltasar Kormákur	Meg Weathers	Adventure/Drama
2016	A Cure for Wellness	Gore Verbinski	Hannah Geist	Horror/Thriller
2018	Suspiria	Luca Guadagnino	Susie Bannion	Horror
2018	High Life	Claire Denis	Isabel	Sci-Fi/Drama
2019	The Staggering Girl	Luca Guadagnino	Francesca	Short/Drama
2020	Emma	Autumn de Wilde	Harriet Smith	Period Comedy
2021	Mayday	Karen Cinorre	Ana	Action/Drama
2022	X	Ti West	Maxine/Pearl	Horror/Thriller
2022	Pearl	Ti West	Pearl	Horror/Thriller
2023	Infinity Pool	Brandon Cronenberg	Allie	Thriller
2024	MaXXXine	Ti West	Maxine	Horror/Thriller

Television Appearances

• The Tunnel (2013) – Sky Atlantic crime series
• Wallander (2015) – BBC One crime series

Upcoming Projects

Mia Goth has several major projects in development, including roles in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and appearances in Marvel Cinematic Universe films.

What Makes Mia Goth a Special Actress?

1. Commitment to Craft

Mia Goth demonstrates an exceptional level of dedication to her roles. She doesn’t just memorize lines—she transforms herself physically and mentally. From sleeping outside during The Survivalist to spending 10 hours in the makeup chair for Pearl, she commits fully.

2. Range and Versatility

She refuses to be limited by genre or role type. Mia can go from the period elegance of Emma to the body horror of Infinity Pool to the violent intensity of Pearl. This versatility makes her valuable to ambitious directors.

3. Understanding Character Complexity

Directors repeatedly praise her ability to understand characters’ psychology. Ti West noted she “understood the duality of Maxine and Pearl” instantly. This suggests she reads scripts deeply and finds emotional truth in complex roles.

4. Collaborative Spirit

Mia co-wrote Pearl with Ti West, showing she’s willing to contribute creatively beyond just acting. She doesn’t just take roles—she helps shape them.

5. The “Exotic” Quality

There’s something indefinably compelling about Mia Goth’s presence. Critics describe her as “ethereal,” “mysterious,” and “disquieting.” This quality makes her perfect for strange, unsettling roles.

Career Timeline: From Discovery to Horror Icon

2009 – Discovered at Underage Festival (age 16)
2013 – Film debut in Nymphomaniac
2015 – Lead role in The Survivalist
2016 – Marries Shia LaBeouf in Las Vegas
2018 – Files for divorce
2022 – X premieres; Pearl premieres; Daughter born
2023 – Infinity Pool releases; Reconciles with Shia LaBeouf
2024 – MaXXXine completes X trilogy

Net Worth and Career Earnings

Based on available information, Mia Goth’s estimated net worth is approximately $2 million. This includes earnings from:

• Film roles (especially major projects with A24)
• Television appearances
• Modeling work
• Awards and festival success

Her earnings have increased significantly since the success of the X trilogy. Major films with prestigious directors typically pay better than independent productions.

Her association with A24, one of the most respected production companies in cinema, has elevated both her pay and her reputation.

Interesting Facts About Mia Goth

1. She attended nine schools in one year when living in Canada—imagine the adaptability that required.
2. She’s fluent in Brazilian Portuguese and holds citizenship in three countries.
3. She sleeps during makeup applications for long prosthetic sessions—a skill acquired over years of horror films.
4. She has never taken traditional acting classes, relying instead on learning from directors and on-set experience.
5. Pearl was partially filmed before X was released, showing her commitment to the character.
6. She co-wrote Pearl with Ti West, making her not just an actress but a creative force.
7. Her maternal grandmother was a famous Brazilian actress, so she has generations of performance in her DNA.
8. She’s 5’9¾” tall (1.77 meters)—a classic model height that gives her presence on camera.

The Future of Mia Goth’s Career

As of 2025, Mia Goth continues to expand her career. She’s no longer just a horror actress—she’s becoming a presence in major studio productions.

Her upcoming roles include:

• Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025) – Playing Victor Frankenstein’s love interest
• Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Blade – Casting as Lilith
• Star Wars: Starfighter – As the main antagonist (directed by Shawn Levy)

This represents a significant shift. After years of artistic, independent films, Mia Goth is moving into major studio franchises. This suggests filmmakers and studios recognize her star power and unique talents.

Why Mia Goth Matters in Modern Cinema

Mia Goth represents something important in contemporary film:

The Legitimization of Genre Cinema – She’s proven that horror films and genre cinema can be artistically ambitious. Thanks to directors like Ti West and filmmakers who take horror seriously, actors like Mia can build serious careers in these spaces.

Female-Driven Narratives – In the X trilogy, Mia’s characters drive the story. She’s not the victim or the love interest—she’s the protagonist and the antagonist. She has agency and complexity.

International Talent – Her multicultural background and fluency in multiple languages reflect a globalized film industry where talent transcends national boundaries.

Unconventional Paths – Mia didn’t follow the traditional route to stardom. She didn’t come from money or famous connections. She built her career one challenging role at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mia Goth

Conclusion

Mia Gypsy Mello da Silva Goth’s journey from a wandering child moving between countries to a modern horror icon represents the power of resilience, adaptability, and artistic commitment.

She didn’t become famous overnight. She built credibility slowly—appearing in art films, working with respected directors, refusing to be limited by genre. When the X trilogy came along, she was already prepared. She brought years of experience and deep artistic understanding to the role.

Today, Mia Goth stands as one of the most interesting and compelling actresses working in cinema. She’s a scream queen who refuses to scream—instead, she brings depth, complexity, and unexpected emotional truth to every role.