One of Australia’s boldest voices, Maria Thattil is a media personality, advocate, writer, speaker and creator. Propelled into the spotlight when she was crowned Miss Universe Australia in 2020, she placed in the top ten of the international competition in 2021 and was only the third woman of colour to represent Australia in the pageant’s sixty-nine year history.
A sought-after columnist, Maria writes for outlets including 9Honey, Stellar magazine, Body+Soul, Mamamia and Women’s Agenda. She has headlined global campaigns championing LGBTQIA+ rights, inclusion and equality for brands including Olay, Clinique, Piper Heidseick and L’Oréal Paris. A current panelist on Channel 9’s Today Extra and Talking Honey, Maria’s 2022 appearance on I’m a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here! made waves internationally when she came out as bisexual on-air.
A passionate advocate for diversity, LGBTQIA+ rights and the protection of women and children from violence, Maria has dedicated her career to campaigning for change and representation. She lives in Melbourne and spends the rest of her time fawning over her dog and consuming excessive amounts of Nutella.
