Mia Goth Parents: Know Everything About Rachel Goth and Eric Goth

Key Takeaways

• Mia Goth was born Mia Gypsy Mello da Silva Goth in Southwark, London, to a Brazilian mother, Rachel Goth, and a Canadian father, Eric Goth.
• Her mother was a waitress and just 20 years old when Goth was born; her father was a truck driver from Nova Scotia.
• Goth’s childhood was defined by constant movement between Brazil, London, and Canada, which she credits with sparking her interest in performance.
• Her maternal grandmother is Brazilian actress Maria Gladys, and her grandfather is artist Lee Jaffe, exposing Goth to the creative world from a very young age.
• Goth has said her parents were “very young” and “liberal thinking,” and that she “never had a plan B” when it came to acting.

A Brazilian-Canadian Heritage

Mia Goth was born on October 25, 1993, in Southwark, London, to a Brazilian mother, Rachel Goth, and a Canadian father, Eric Goth. Her full birth name is Mia Gypsy Mello da Silva Goth. The name “Gypsy” was a deliberate choice by her mother, who sensed her daughter would move around a lot in life.

Her mother was only 20 years old when Goth was born and worked as a waitress. Her father, originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, worked as a truck driver. The family’s cross-cultural makeup would become a defining feature of Goth’s upbringing, and by her own account, of her approach to acting.

A Nomadic Childhood Across Three Continents

Goth’s early life was marked by near-constant relocation. Just weeks after her birth in London, her mother took her to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the family lived for the first several years of her life.

When Goth was five, she and her mother moved back to the United Kingdom. Five years later, at age 10, they relocated again, this time to Nova Scotia, Canada, to live with her father. That arrangement lasted about two years before Goth and her mother returned to London when she was 12.

Goth has spoken candidly about how this itinerant childhood shaped her. “Moving around definitely comes with its own sort of education,” she told The Irish Times. “It sparked my interest in people and how they differ from country to country.”

More importantly, it gave her an early lesson in what would become her profession. “At one point in the process of trying to find myself, I would adopt different personalities to fit into whatever environment I was in,” she said. “I think that was my first introduction to character really and performance.”

A Family Steeped in the Arts

While her parents worked in service and transport, Goth’s extended family had deep artistic roots. Her maternal grandmother is Maria Gladys, a well-known Brazilian actress and soap opera star. Her grandfather is Lee Jaffe, an American artist and musician who collaborated with Bob Marley and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Goth has said these connections meant she was exposed to the creative world almost from infancy. “Some of my earliest memories, I’m thinking about when I’m four years old, are being on sets, and watching lots of people all working towards one thing,” she recalled. “And watching my grandmother at the centre of it all.”

That early immersion planted a seed. Goth started auditioning at 16 and landed her first major role in Lars von Trier’s controversial Nymphomaniac at 18.

Her Parents’ Influence and Support

Goth has described her parents as “very young still” and “very liberal thinking.” When she took on the sexually explicit and emotionally demanding role in Nymphomaniac, she said they were “more than happy” for her to be in the film. “They trusted me and they trusted Lars,” she said.

She has also credited her mixed heritage with shaping her temperament. “I feel that’s my South American hot bloodedness,” she told The Irish Times. “But I’m also very sensible. I love routine and being a good citizen. So I guess that’s Canadian.”

From Nomad to Movie Star

Today, Goth is one of the most distinctive actors of her generation, known for her intense performances in X, Pearl, MaXXXine, Suspiria, and Emma. Her path from a peripatetic childhood, shuttling between Rio, London, and a remote Canadian farm, to Hollywood stardom seems, in retrospect, almost inevitable.

“There was never a plan B,” she has said. “I always felt it’s plan A or I’m f**ked. I still have no plan B.”