Maria Thattil

Maria Thattil is an award-winning media personality, author and advocate, recognised as one of Australia’s most powerful and visible South Asian voices. She was propelled into the national spotlight after being crowned Miss Universe Australia 2020, later placing in the top ten at the international competition and becoming only the third woman of colour to represent Australia in the pageant’s history.

Since then, Maria has built a dynamic, multi-hyphenate career across television, publishing and advocacy. She has served as a guest host, commentator and judge on major Australian programs, including The Project, Today Extra, Talking Honey and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under. In 2024, she joined the cast of Neighbours as its first-ever queer South Asian female character and was honoured with ELLE Magazine’s Gamechanger Award. The year prior, she received Marie Claire’s Voice of Now award for her advocacy and cultural impact.

Maria is a Penguin-published author and official TEDx speaker. Her debut book, Unbounded (2023), navigates the complexities of race, gender, sexuality and identity, offering readers a framework for self-mastery and personal empowerment. Her appearance on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2022 made international headlines when she came out as bisexual on-air.

A sought-after columnist, Maria writes for leading publications including 9Honey, Stellar, Mamamia, Body+Soul and Women’s Agenda, and has been nominated for Mumbrella’s Columnist of the Year. A staunch advocate for diversity, youth empowerment, mental health and inclusion, she supports organisations including Minus18, Polished Man and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, using her voice to drive meaningful social change.