Maia McCall Mitchell was born on August 18, 1993, in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. She is Australian by nationality and is of Australian ethnicity. Raised in Lismore, Maia grew up in a supportive family with her father, Alex Mitchell, a taxi driver, her mother, Jill Mitchell, who worked in the education sector, and her younger brother, Charlie Mitchell. She attended Trinity Catholic College in Lismore, where she developed a passion for acting through school plays and local theatre productions. From a young age, she also learned to play the guitar and developed a love for music, which later became an important part of her entertainment career. Maia speaks English and has balanced successful careers as both an actress and singer. Her Instagram username is @maiamitchell, where she has over 9 million followers and shares updates about her acting projects, travel, and personal life.
Maia Mitchell began her professional acting career at the age of 12 after being cast as Brittany Flune in the Australian children’s television series Mortified (2006–2007). She continued building her profile with starring roles as Natasha Hamilton in Trapped (2008–2009) and Castaway (2011), while also appearing in K-9. At 18, Maia relocated to Los Angeles, where her international career expanded rapidly. She made her Disney Channel debut as Shaylee Michaels in Jessie before landing the lead role of McKenzie “Mack” in Teen Beach Movie (2013) and Teen Beach 2 (2015), alongside Ross Lynch. Her breakthrough dramatic performance came with the role of Callie Adams Foster in The Fosters (2013–2018), where she portrayed one of the series’ central characters across five seasons. She later reprised the role in the spin-off Good Trouble (2019–2024), serving not only as the lead actress but also as an executive producer alongside Cierra Ramirez. Her performance received widespread critical praise and multiple Teen Choice Award nominations. Maia has also appeared in films including After the Dark (2013), Hot Summer Nights (2017), Never Goin’ Back (2018), The Last Summer (2019), No Way Out (2022), Sitting in Bars with Cake (2023), Family Secrets (2024), and Until Dawn (2025). In 2023, she starred as Lady Belle Fox in Disney+’s The Artful Dodger, a historical drama inspired by Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, and returned for its second season following its renewal. Alongside acting, Maia has contributed to music through the Teen Beach Movie soundtracks, recording songs including “Like Me” and “Can’t Stop Singing,” and collaborated with former partner Rudy Mancuso on the song “Magic” in 2018. Throughout her career, she has become known for her versatility across family entertainment, drama, romance, comedy, and musical productions.
Outside her professional career, Maia Mitchell has remained closely connected to her Australian roots despite spending many years working in the United States. During the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 floods in northern New South Wales, she temporarily returned to Lismore to support her family and local community before resuming work in Los Angeles. She has since become an advocate for climate awareness and environmental issues following the devastating floods. Maia enjoys music, travel, photography, and spending time with friends and family. She was in a long-term relationship with filmmaker and internet personality Rudy Mancuso from 2015 until 2022. Since their separation, she has kept her personal life largely private while continuing to focus on her acting and creative projects.