---
name: "Heather Matarazzo"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/heather-matarazzo"
fi1m_id: "heather-matarazzo"
imdb_id: "nm0000525"
tmdb_id: 33656
wikidata_id: "Q236755"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "10 November 1982"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 62
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-19T15:50:12.878749+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Heather Matarazzo

## Identity

Heather Matarazzo

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/heather-matarazzo
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** heather-matarazzo
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000525
- **TMDB ID:** 33656
- **Wikidata ID:** Q236755
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Matarazzo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q236755, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000525/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/33656

Actor. Born 10 November 1982 in Oyster Bay, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 10 November 1982, Oyster Bay, New York, USA
- **Active:** 1996–present
- **Also known as:** Heather Amy Matarazzo , هدر ماتارازو, Heather Christina Marie Matarazzo
- **Average Fi1m score:** 62, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 82 (1), 2000s 52 (1), 2020s 58 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 62 to 62 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Horror 2, Mystery 2, Adventure 1, Animation 1, Comedy 1, Drama 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $561m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Matarazzo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q236755, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000525/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/33656

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Welcome to the Dollhouse*](https://film.one/film/welcome-to-the-dollhouse.md) (82)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Heather Matarazzo

> Heather Matarazzo lets awkward characters be unpleasant, and still makes us care what happens to them. We rate her most highly when a film gives that prickliness room, as *Welcome to the Dollhouse* does.

Dawn Wiener wants to belong, but Heather Matarazzo does not make her pleasant company to help the case. In Todd Solondz’s *Welcome to the Dollhouse* (1996), she lets the girl’s awkwardness and unpleasantness remain visible even when sympathy becomes harder work. That is what we value most in her acting: she takes unhappiness seriously without tidying up the person who feels it. We laughed at Dawn’s humiliations, then felt ashamed because Matarazzo made her embarrassment feel personal.

The career that followed brought more supporting characters, including Martha Meeks in *Scream 3* (2000) and the outspoken Lilly Moscovitz in *The Princess Diaries* (2001), alongside Anne Hathaway. She returned as Lilly in *The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement* (2004), extending her visibility in mainstream films. Independent features and horror remained part of the work, with Lorna in *Hostel: Part II* (2007) and a return as Martha in *Scream* (2022). There is variety in those credits, but the recurring outsiders and eccentric best friends suggest how readily casting can settle on one idea of an actor.

In *Welcome to the Dollhouse*, the collaborators understand that her performance needs time. Editor Alan Oxman lets a laugh linger until it becomes uncomfortable, allowing Dawn’s unhappiness to register without stopping the comedy. Jill Wisoff’s music suits the sourness, but Matarazzo does more to determine how much a scene hurts. She keeps Dawn’s unhappiness present while the comedy continues around her, which makes the editing’s patience worthwhile.

Solondz does sometimes make that patience harder to sustain than it needs to be. The humiliations accumulate until we can see the writer preparing another, and Dawn seems to have too little chance of an ordinary day. Matarazzo remains convincing, but cannot make every indignity necessary. There is enough in this performance to make us want more leading parts for her. Start with *Welcome to the Dollhouse*, with company prepared to find a comedy uncomfortable.

## Biography

Heather Matarazzo is an American actress. She was born on 10 November 1982 in Oyster Bay, New York, and began acting at the age of six or seven.

She made her film debut in *Welcome to the Dollhouse* (1995) as Dawn Wiener, for which she received an Independent Spirit Award. She later appeared as Lilly Moscovitz in *The Princess Diaries* (2001) and *The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement* (2004), and as Martha Meeks in *Scream 3* (2000) and *Scream* (2022). Other credits include *The Devil's Advocate* (1997) and *Hostel: Part II* (2007).

Matarazzo attended Oyster Bay High School and the Long Island High School for the Arts. She has also worked in television, including episodes of *Grey's Anatomy* and *Wednesday*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *Wish* (2023), Fi1m 49, as Flying Woman (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/wish.md)
- *Scream* (2022), Fi1m 66, as Martha Meeks — [page](https://film.one/film/scream-2022.md)
- *Scream 3* (2000), Fi1m 52, as Martha Meeks — [page](https://film.one/film/scream-3.md)
- *Welcome to the Dollhouse* (1996), Fi1m 82, as Dawn Wiener — [page](https://film.one/film/welcome-to-the-dollhouse.md)

## Complete filmography (64)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Booger* (2024), as Ellen
- *Paper Tiger* (2024), as Angela
- *The Zombie Wedding* (2023), as Sue Wee
- *Wish* (2023), as Flying Woman (voice) — Fi1m 49, [page](https://film.one/film/wish.md)
- *You're Not Supposed to Be Here* (2023), as Carla
- *Paint* (2023), Actor
- *Complicated Order* (2023), Actor
- *The Mattachine Family* (2023), as Annie
- *The Appraisal* (2023), Actor
- *Wednesday* (2022), series, as Judi Spannegel — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/wednesday.md)
- *Scream* (2022), as Martha Meeks — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/scream-2022.md)
- *The Estate* (2021), as Mary
- *Equal* (2020), series, as Phyllis Lyon
- *The Fiddling Horse* (2019), as Rosalina Truman
- *Billboard* (2019), as Jezebel
- *Smothered by Mothers* (2019), as Annie
- *Stuck* (2018), as Darby
- *Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot* (2018), as Shannon
- *The Avant-Gardener* (2017), as Heather · Director
- *Sidewalk Traffic* (2017), as Freda Rabinowitz
- *Culling Hens* (2016), as Mistress
- *Pretty Dudes* (2016), series, Director
- *Girl Flu.* (2016), as Lilli
- *Sisters* (2015), as Denny
- *Her Composition* (2015), as Gallery Owner
- *Stalker* (2014), series, as Emily
- *Mangus!* (2011), as Jessica Simpson · Producer
- *Jake Gyllenhaal Challenges the Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize* (2010), as Tia (archive footage)
- *Apocrypha* (2009), as Girl
- *Life on Mars* (2008), series, as June
- *Indie Sex: Teens* (2008), Actor
- *Exes & Ohs* (2007), series, as Crutch
- *Hostel: Part II* (2007), as Lorna
- *Believe in Me* (2006), as Cindy Butts
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Joan Paulson — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement* (2004), as Lilly Moscovitz
- *Saved!* (2004), as Tia
- *The L Word* (2004), series, as Stacy Merkin
- *Freshman Orientation* (2004), as Jessica
- *The Women* (2002), as Jane
- *Sorority Boys* (2002), as Katie
- *The Princess Diaries* (2001), as Lilly Moscovitz
- *Company Man* (2000), as Nora
- *Scream 3* (2000), as Martha Meeks — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/scream-3.md)
- *Blue Moon* (2000), as Donna
- *Cherry* (1999), as Dottie
- *Now and Again* (1999), series, as Heather Wiseman
- *Our Guys: Outrage at Glen Ridge* (1999), as Leslie Faber
- *Strangers with Candy* (1999), series, as Renee
- *Getting to Know You* (1999), as Judith
- *American Cuisine* (1998), as Kerry
- *54* (1998), as Grace O'Shea
- *Strike!* (1998), as Theresa 'Tweety' Goldberg
- *The Deli* (1997), as Sabrina
- *The Devil's Advocate* (1997), as Barbara
- *Arresting Gena* (1997), as Pam
- *Hurricane Streets* (1997), as Ashley
- *Townies* (1996), series, Actor
- *Welcome to the Dollhouse* (1996), as Dawn Wiener — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/welcome-to-the-dollhouse.md)
- *ER* (1994), series, as Alyssa Gunther — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *The Adventures of Pete & Pete* (1993), series, as Natasha
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Janice Dunlap, Stephanie Sutter — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Roseanne* (1988), series, Actor — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/roseanne.md)
- *Lore Harbour*, as Nell

## Gallery

- ![American actress Heather Matarazzo speaking at a New York City Rally for Equal Marriage. (2008)](https://film.one/media/person/86491/gallery-54645f98c954.jpg) American actress Heather Matarazzo speaking at a New York City Rally for Equal Marriage. (2008) — aprilzosia from Gallipolis, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Heather_Matarazzo.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Heather Matarazzo Heather Matarazzo Aka Martha Meeks, Judi Spannegel, Dawn Wiener, Lorna, Lilly Moscovitz, ... We are incredib](https://film.one/media/person/86491/gallery-646803c5a33e.jpg) Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Heather Matarazzo Heather Matarazzo Aka Martha Meeks, Judi Spannegel, Dawn Wiener, Lorna, Lilly Moscovitz, ... We are incredib — Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Heather_Matarazzo_%2855268200558%29.jpg/1280px-Heather_Matarazzo_%2855268200558%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Heather Matarazzo](https://film.one/media/person/86491/gallery-01beb0854dbe.jpg) Heather Matarazzo — Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Heather_Matarazzo_%2855268200558%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Heather_Matarazzo_%2855268200558%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![American actress Heather Matarazzo speaking at a New York City Rally for Equal Marriage. (2008)](https://film.one/media/person/86491/gallery-7c20671ffd9d.jpg) American actress Heather Matarazzo speaking at a New York City Rally for Equal Marriage. (2008) — aprilzosia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Speaker-_Heather_Matarazzo.jpg/1280px-Speaker-_Heather_Matarazzo.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Heather Matarazzo](https://film.one/media/person/86491/gallery-5d3b96023b52.jpg) Heather Matarazzo — Image via TMDB
- ![Heather Matarazzo](https://film.one/media/person/86491/gallery-b25832dd2969.jpg) Heather Matarazzo — Image via TMDB
- ![Heather Matarazzo](https://film.one/media/person/86491/gallery-9ed3a3158f5a.jpg) Heather Matarazzo — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/heather-matarazzo