Maria Thattil

Last updated
Maria Thattil
MARIA T.jpg
Thattil in 2023
Born
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupations
  • Model
  • author
  • media personality
  • podcaster
  • actor
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title Miss Universe Australia 2020
Years active2020–present
Hair colorBrown
Eye colorBrown
Major
competition(s)		 Miss Universe Australia 2020
(Winner)
Miss Universe 2020
(Top 10)
Website mariathattil.com

Maria Thattil is an Australian podcaster, author, actor, beauty pageant titleholder and media personality who was crowned Miss Universe Australia 2020 and then represented Australia at Miss Universe 2020, where she was placed in the top 10. [1]

Contents

Early life

Thattil is Indian Australian. She was born in Melbourne after her parents migrated from India to Australia in the early 1990s. [2] [3]

Career

Thattil was named Miss Universe Australia in October 2020, [4] and was placed in the top 10 of the global competition as only the third woman of colour to represent Australia. [5] [1]

In January 2022, Thattil appeared as a contestant on the eighth season of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Australia . She was the second contestant to be eliminated. [6] While in the jungle, she came out as bisexual. [7]

Thattil is a supporter of diversity, inclusion and equality. [8] She is an advocate for women, the LGBTQIA+ community [9] and anti-racism. [10]

In 2023, she became an author with Unbounded, a book that navigates the complexities of identity. [4] [11] She also began making occasional appearances as a co-host on Network 10's current affairs news show The Project . In July of that year, she became the host of her own podcast 'The Maria Thattil Show.' [12] On 4 August 2023, Thattil was a guest judge in an episode of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under . [13] Also in August, she made her acting debut in a guest role on the ABC comedy series Mother and Son . [14]

In December 2023, Thattil joined the cast of Neighbours in the guest role of Amira Devkar. She made her first appearance in May 2024, and appeared in six episodes of the show. [15]

Personal life

Thattil identifies as bisexual. [16] She revealed that she had an abortion at age 21. [17] [18] She lives in Melbourne. [19]

Television

ShowRoleYearNotes
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestent2022Eliminated second
The Project Guest Co-host2023-present
Mother and Son Priya2023Guest; episode 2
Neighbours Amira Devkar 2024Recurring; 6 episodes

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References

  1. 1 2 Acharya, Mosiqi (31 October 2020). "Daughter of Indian migrants, Maria Thattil crowned Miss Universe Australia 2020". SBS Hindi.
  2. ↑ "Daughter of Indian migrants, Maria Thattil crowned Miss Universe Australia 2020". SBS Language. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  3. ↑ "Maria Thattil, Daughter of Indian Migrants Wins Miss Universe Australia 2020". News18. 2020-11-05. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  4. 1 2 Hui, Jin (December 10, 2022). "Maria Thattil set to release 'Unbounded'".
  5. ↑ "Indian-origin Miss Australia finishes Top 10, Miss India 3rd Runner Up in Miss Universe 2021 pageant - NRI Affairs". May 17, 2021.
  6. ↑ "I'm A Celebrity 2022: Miss Australia Maria Thattil The Third Celebrity Ejected From The Jungle". 10 play. 24 January 2022.
  7. ↑ Lautier, Monique (14 January 2022). "Maria Thattil came out as bisexual on 'I'm A Celeb', and we're proud of her". The Brag.
  8. ↑ "Miss Universe Australia horrified after reading comments in schoolboys' online group chat". 7NEWS. August 18, 2021.
  9. ↑ "L'Oréal Paris launches Stand Up Against Street Harassment campaign". Mumbrella. August 31, 2022.
  10. ↑ "30 Years of WHO: 10 Australian icons reflect on the past three decades". Who.
  11. ↑ "Marrying a Masters degree and make-up for social change: Maria Thattil". ABC Radio National. February 20, 2023.
  12. ↑ https://www.refinery29.com/en-au/2023/07/11461886/maria-thattil-podcast
  13. ↑ "The epic special guests who will appear on RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 3 - including Adam Lambert and Maria Thattil". Nine.com.au. 19 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Australian Television: Mother and Son [2023]: cast". www.australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  15. ↑ Epstein, Jackie (7 December 2023). "Ex-Miss Universe launches acting career in 'full circle' moment". Herald Sun . Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  16. ↑ "About Maria". Maria Thattil. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  17. ↑ "Maria Thattil: 'Safe abortion gave me the freedom to live my dreams'". honey.nine.com.au. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  18. ↑ "Former Miss Universe Australia Is Grateful She Was Able To Get An Abortion At 21". LADbible. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  19. ↑ "Maria Thattil | I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!". 10 play. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Miss Universe Australia
2020 		Succeeded by
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