Maura Higgins, the fiery Irish contestant who stormed the Love Island villa in 2019, has completed a remarkable transformation from reality TV star to bona fide Hollywood hopeful, culminating in a prestigious invitation to the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles.
A Star-Studded Night in LA
On Sunday night, the 35-year-old from Ballymahon confidently walked the red carpet at The Beverly Hilton, exuding the air of an A-lister in an elegant black gown and dramatic gold shawl. The event saw her mingling with the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Emma Stone. In a testament to her growing profile, she was even stopped for a photograph by none other than rap icon Snoop Dogg.
This glamorous appearance is the latest peak in a career that has been strategically building since her fourth-place finish on Love Island UK's fifth season with then-boyfriend Curtis Pritchard. Known for her no-nonsense attitude and sharp one-liners, Higgins has parlayed her initial fame into a formidable television career on both sides of the Atlantic.
Building a Transatlantic TV Career
After early work as an influencer and a stint on Dancing On Ice in 2020, Higgins made a decisive move to crack the American market in 2023. She became a social media presenter for Love Island USA, later guest-hosting a challenge and eventually landing the role of host for Love Island USA: Aftersun in 2024. She also hosted the Love Island Games Aftersun.
Her UK profile remained high with a seventh-place finish on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2024, where viewers adored her friendship with Reverend Richard Coles. However, her current focus is firmly on the US, where she is a contestant on the latest series of The Traitors US, battling for a $250,000 charity prize. Fans have already praised her "devious" strategy and straight-talking personality.
The Path to a Hollywood Role
Higgins' Hollywood ambitions are now being taken seriously. She has signed with the US public relations agency Align and the powerhouse talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), whose client list includes Lady Gaga. This follows glowing feedback from industry insiders after a screening of her acting debut in the Irish comedy The Spin, where she plays Rose.
This momentum has led bookmaker Ladbrokes to offer odds of 2/1 for her to land a major Hollywood movie role. Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes noted, "Maura Higgins is truly making her name global at the moment... it looks like she may land in a Hollywood role at some stage soon."
Her professional success has translated into personal milestones. In 2023, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by purchasing a £1.25 million mansion in Essex, upgrading from a one-bedroom property. This came after amassing an estimated fortune of £3.2 million, a far cry from her early life in rural County Longford.
From her iconic "Hi boys!" entrance in a white mini-dress to networking at the Golden Globes, Maura Higgins' journey is a masterclass in personal branding and strategic career moves. With a major US talent agency behind her and industry buzz growing, her transition from Love Island bombshell to potential Hollywood star appears to be well underway.
