Heather Matarazzo is an American actress best known as Lilly Moscovitz, Mia’s outspoken best friend in The Princess Diaries films. She broke through at 12 as Dawn Wiener in Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995), a role that won her an Independent Spirit Award, and she has kept working for three decades since, from Scream 3 to Netflix’s Wednesday. She turns 44 on November 10, 2026.
| Date of Birth | November 10, 1982 |
|---|---|
| Age | 44 years |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Parents | Camille and Ray Matarazzo (adoptive) |
| Spouse | Heather Turman (m. 2018) |
| Known For | The Princess Diaries (Lilly Moscovitz); Independent Spirit Award for Welcome to the Dollhouse |
Heather Matarazzo Biography
Heather Christina Marie Matarazzo was born on November 10, 1982, in Oyster Bay, on Long Island, New York. She was adopted and raised by the Matarazzos, an Italian-American family. Her biological mother was Irish-American, and her biological father came from Knock in County Mayo, Ireland. She holds both American and Irish citizenship.
Her start in life was not easy. In an October 2026 Instagram post, she described herself as “a former foster kid who had siblings in care” and said they “never got that choice/chance” to stay together. In a 2017 essay for Talkhouse, she wrote about meeting her birth mother as an adult.
She found acting early. At six, she grabbed the microphone at an AIDS benefit for children, and a talent manager handed her a card that night. She stayed with that manager for ten years and landed small TV parts, including two episodes of The Adventures of Pete and Pete in 1993.
Childhood was also hard on the inside. In a 2019 video for the Child Mind Institute’s #MyYoungerSelf campaign, she said, “When I was younger I suffered through incredible depression and suicidal ideation. I never thought it would get better.” Her message to her younger self was simple: “Hey, you made it.”
Career
Her big break came at 12, when Todd Solondz cast her as Dawn Wiener in Welcome to the Dollhouse. Dawn is a bullied seventh grader the other kids call “Wiener Dog,” and the film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival. Matarazzo won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance for it.
She was 13 when she visited the Late Show with David Letterman on June 7, 1996. She told Letterman she was worried classmates would call her “Wiener Dog and Dog Face” all summer after seeing the film. Making it, though, was “the best experience you could ever have,” she said. “You got this adrenaline rush every day that you’re on set.”
Bigger films followed quickly. She played Barbara in The Devil’s Advocate (1997) with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves, Grace O’Shea in 54 (1998), and Tweety in All I Wanna Do (1998). In 2000 she played Martha Meeks, the sister of Jamie Kennedy’s Randy, in Scream 3. On TV she starred as Heather Wiseman in all 22 episodes of Now and Again (1999 to 2000), which earned her a Saturn Award nomination.
Then came the role most fans know her for. She played Lilly Moscovitz, Mia Thermopolis’s activist best friend, opposite Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries (2001) and its 2004 sequel, Royal Engagement. That same year she played Tia in Saved!, and in 2001 she made her Broadway debut in a revival of The Women.
She later went into horror and queer TV. She played Lorna in Hostel: Part II (2007), Stacey Merkin in four episodes of The L Word (2007), and Crutch in Exes and Ohs. She also appeared in Grey’s Anatomy (2015), Sisters (2015) and Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot (2018).
Recent years have brought some fun returns. She came back as Martha Meeks in Scream (2022), voiced a character in Disney’s Wish (2023), and in August 2025 joined Netflix’s Wednesday season 2 as Judi Spannagel. She also won an episode of the game show The Weakest Link, which she announced on Instagram on October 15, 2026. Her $57,500 prize went to Together California, a group that keeps siblings in foster care together.
Work has still been uneven. In late September 2026 she wrote on Threads that she could lose her SAG-AFTRA health insurance unless she booked more acting jobs. “I am literally in the same boat right now,” she wrote, adding that “lots of my fellow actors are.”
Are Heather Matarazzo and Gaten Matarazzo Related?
No, they are not related. The mix-up comes from a funny coincidence: Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo has a mother who is also named Heather Matarazzo. Gaten’s parents are Heather and Gaetano John Matarazzo Jr., a New Jersey family with no tie to the actress.
For years, fans online called the actress “Gaten’s mom.” In August 2025 she finally met Gaten in person and shared a photo with him on Instagram, joking about her pop culture “son.” The actress has no children of her own.
Personal Life
Matarazzo came out as a lesbian in 2004, at 21, in an interview with the New York Daily News. The Advocate profiled her in its October 2004 coming-out issue. She has spoken often about LGBTQ+ rights, and she campaigned for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential election.
Her first long relationship was with musician Caroline Murphy. They were together from 2004, got engaged in July 2008, and split amicably in 2012. In January 2018, Us Weekly reported her engagement to comedian Heather Turman, and the two married later that year.
She now lives in Michigan. In September 2026 she posted that she had to take shelter in her basement during a tornado, a first for her. She still posts often about voting, climate change and foster care, and she has about 117,000 Instagram followers.
The Princess Diaries still means a lot to her. On the film’s 25th anniversary, on August 3, 2026, she wrote that director Garry Marshall “was the ultimate magician” and that Anne Hathaway “has always been a true Queen.” She added that she has her fingers crossed for a third film.
Heather Matarazzo Net Worth
Heather Matarazzo’s net worth is estimated at $1.5–3 million. Most of it comes from her busiest decade, from Welcome to the Dollhouse in 1995 to The Princess Diaries 2 in 2004, when she worked steadily in studio films and a lead TV role.
Since then her income has come from smaller film parts, guest TV roles like Wednesday, voice work and appearances. Her 2026 comments about health insurance show that acting pay has been less steady in recent years, so new roles will decide where the figure goes next.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Heather Matarazzo?
Heather Matarazzo was born on November 10, 1982, so she turns 44 in 2026.
Who is Heather Matarazzo’s wife?
She is married to comedian Heather Turman. They got engaged in January 2018 and married later that year.
Is Heather Matarazzo Gaten Matarazzo’s mom?
No. Gaten’s mother has the same name, but she is a different person. The actress and Gaten are not related, and they first met in 2025.
Who did Heather Matarazzo play in Scream?
She played Martha Meeks, the younger sister of Randy Meeks, in Scream 3 (2000) and returned to the role in Scream (2022).
Is Heather Matarazzo in Wednesday?
Yes. She played Judi Spannagel in season 2 of Netflix’s Wednesday, which premiered in August 2025.
Will Heather Matarazzo be in The Princess Diaries 3?
Her casting has not been announced. On the film’s 25th anniversary in 2026, she said she hopes the cast can “come together again and make the third.”
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