
Rhona Mitra: What Happened? Disease, Partner, Net Worth
There’s something about leaving a Hollywood career to care for horses in the Uruguayan sierras that makes you stop and wonder what really drives a person. For Rhona Mitra, the British actress best known for playing Sonja in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, that decision was both personal and profound. She now runs a 400-acre horse sanctuary, The Last Ark Orphanage, a world away from the film sets she once dominated.
Born: 9 August 1976 · Age: 48 (as of 2024) · Occupation: Actress · Nationality: British · Known for: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans · Net worth: Not publicly disclosed
Quick snapshot
- Born 9 August 1976 in London (Wikipedia)
- Starred in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) (IGN)
- Moved to Uruguay and founded The Last Ark Orphanage (Plan South America)
- Featured in Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild (2023) (The Independent)
- Exact health condition – reports vary (Daily Mail)
- Current relationship status – no confirmed partner (Daily Mail)
- Net worth – not publicly disclosed (Daily Mail)
- Why she fully left Hollywood – no single stated reason (Daily Mail)
- Whether she will return to acting – no confirmed projects (Daily Mail)
- 2017: Bought a derelict 400-acre farm in Uruguay (Daily Mail)
- 2023: Ben Fogle visits her sanctuary in Uruguay (The Independent)
- Continuing to run The Last Ark Orphanage (The Last Ark)
A dozen key facts, one pattern: Rhona Mitra’s life splits cleanly into two acts – Hollywood star and rural sanctuary founder.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Rhona Natasha Mitra |
| Born | 9 August 1976 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Nationality | British |
| Years Active | 1997–present |
| Known For | Underworld: Rise of the Lycans |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
| iamrhonamitra |
What disease does Rhona Mitra have?
This question has followed Mitra for years, partly because of her role in Underworld as a vampire, partly due to her own disclosures. In a 2014 interview with IGN, she said she became “quite unwell” after a vaccination and described it as an autoimmune response.
Mitra’s health story is one of the most searched but least documented parts of her life. The Daily Mail reported in 2023 that she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2012, but the exact condition has not been named in any primary source.
Has Rhona Mitra disclosed any health conditions?
- 2014 IGN interview: she mentioned an autoimmune response to a vaccine (IGN)
- Daily Mail (2023): quoted her as saying she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2012 (Daily Mail)
- No medical records or official statements have been made public
What is the source of the disease rumor?
Much of the curiosity stems from her role in Underworld, where she played a character with supernatural qualities, combined with her sudden retreat from Hollywood. The rumor mill conflated on-screen fiction with off-screen reality. San Antonio Current noted in 2024 that Mitra herself steers conversations toward her sanctuary, not her health.
The implication: the “disease” narrative is largely unsupported by reliable documentation, and Mitra herself has not clarified further.
What ever happened to Rhona Mitra?
She didn’t vanish – she relocated. In the mid-2010s, Mitra left Los Angeles and moved to a 400-acre farm in the Sierras of Uruguay, where she founded The Last Ark Orphanage, a horse and dog rescue sanctuary. Plan South America described it as a restored farm where Mitra rehabilitates and rewilds horses. The Independent reported that the horses often arrive sick and malnourished.
Rhona Mitra’s acting career timeline
- 1997: First TV role in The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous
- 2001: Modeled as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider video game; ranked #46 on Maxim Hot 100 (Wikipedia)
- 2009: Starred as Sonja in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (IGN)
- 2010s: Guest roles on The Practice, Nip/Tuck, and independent films
Rhona Mitra’s move to Uruguay
According to Daily Mail, Mitra bought a derelict 400-acre farm in Uruguay in 2017. The Last Ark website states she “sold everything” for the project of rehabilitating horses. A 2025 profile in Página/12 framed her move as a decision to leave Hollywood’s “abuses” behind.
Recent activities
- Runs The Last Ark Orphanage with rescued horses and dogs (San Antonio Current)
- Was featured in the 2023 episode of Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild in Uruguay (The Independent)
- Launched a GoFundMe campaign “Por el amor del Caballo” for horse feed (GoFundMe)
The pattern: Mitra didn’t disappear – she redirected her energy entirely. Her Instagram bio (@iamrhonamitra) reads simply: “Founder of @thelastarkorphanage.”
Does Rhona Mitra have a partner?
Mitra has not publicly confirmed a current partner. She was previously linked to a few people but has never spoken about relationships in interviews. The Daily Mail story from 2023 noted she lives alone on the farm with her animals.
Is Rhona Mitra married?
There is no record of Mitra ever being married. She has no publicly known children.
Much of the online speculation about Mitra’s partner stems from her solo lifestyle in Uruguay. But the evidence suggests she consciously chose solitude and animal care over public romance.
The pattern: Mitra has kept her personal life entirely private, focusing public attention on her sanctuary work.
Is Ben Fogle with Rhona in Uruguay?
Yes, but only for a television episode. Ben Fogle visited Mitra at The Last Ark Orphanage for his show New Lives in the Wild. The episode aired in 2023 and featured Mitra giving Fogle a tour of the sanctuary and explaining her daily routine. The Independent covered the episode, noting that Fogle helped with the horses and documented Mitra’s off-grid lifestyle.
Details of the ‘Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild’ Uruguay episode
- Fogle spent several days at the sanctuary
- He participated in feeding and rehabilitating horses
- Mitra described her journey from acting to sanctuary work
- The episode aired in 2023 on Channel 5 in the UK
When did the episode air?
The specific airdate is not widely documented, but multiple sources place it in the 2023 season of the series (The Independent).
The trade-off: Fogle’s visit brought Mitra back into the public eye, but her purpose remained unchanged – the sanctuary, not the spotlight.
Did Rhona Mitra ever marry?
No. Mitra has never been married, based on all available records and interviews. She has not spoken publicly about why she never married. The Daily Mail article from 2023 described her as single and fully dedicated to her animals.
Rhona Mitra’s relationship history
- Was linked to actor unconfirmed – no named public relationships
- No children
- Current status: single, lives on sanctuary in Uruguay
The catch: the absence of public relationship data doesn’t confirm privacy – it reflects Mitra’s choice to keep that part of her life completely off the record.
For journalists and fans alike, searching for Rhona Mitra’s partner or marriage is chasing a ghost. The strongest signal is her own bio: founder of an animal sanctuary, not a public relationship.
What this means: the lack of public information about a marriage is consistent with Mitra’s choice to keep her personal life off the record.
Timeline
- 9 August 1976 – Born in London, England (Wikipedia)
- 1997 – First acting role in The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous
- 2001 – Model for Lara Croft in Tomb Raider video game; ranked #46 on Maxim Hot 100
- 2009 – Starred as Sonja in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (IGN)
- 2010s – Transitioned to independent films and television guest roles
- 2017 – Bought 400-acre farm in Uruguay (Daily Mail)
- 2020 – Founded The Last Ark Orphanage animal sanctuary (Plan South America)
- 2023 – Featured in Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild Uruguay episode (The Independent)
Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Born 9 August 1976 in London (Wikipedia)
- Appeared in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) (IGN)
- Moved to Uruguay and runs The Last Ark Orphanage (Plan South America)
- Featured in Ben Fogle episode in 2023 (The Independent)
- Has an autoimmune condition (self-reported to Daily Mail, 2023) (Daily Mail)
What’s unclear
- Specific autoimmune disease name and severity
- Current relationship status / partner
- Net worth
- Reason for leaving Hollywood (multiple explanations circulate)
- Whether she will act again
Quotes from Rhona Mitra
“Yeah, I live [on] and run a horse sanctuary. I rescue horses and dogs.”
– Rhona Mitra, interview with San Antonio Current (2024)
“I became quite unwell after a vaccination and it triggered an autoimmune response.”
– Rhona Mitra, interview with IGN (2014)
Mitra’s story isn’t one of tragedy or disappearance. It’s a deliberate, documented pivot from public performance to private purpose. For anyone wondering what happened to the actress from Underworld, the answer is simpler than rumour: she chose horses over Hollywood, and that choice has given her a life more grounded than any script could write.
ozcurrently.com, gofundme.com, reddit.com, pagina12.com.ar, imdb.com, australiadaily.net
For those curious about her life after stepping away from the spotlight, her journey from Hollywood offers a detailed look at her acting career, health struggles, and current whereabouts.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Rhona Mitra?
She was born 9 August 1976, making her 48 as of 2024.
What is Rhona Mitra’s nationality?
British.
What movies has Rhona Mitra been in?
She is best known for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009), and also appeared in The Practice, Nip/Tuck, and independent films.
Is Rhona Mitra active on Instagram?
Yes, her handle is @iamrhonamitra, where she posts about her sanctuary.
What is Rhona Mitra’s net worth?
Not publicly disclosed.
Where does Rhona Mitra live now?
She lives on a 400-acre farm in the Sierras of Uruguay, running The Last Ark Orphanage.
Why did Rhona Mitra leave Hollywood?
She has not given a single reason, but has cited a desire for a simpler life and her commitment to animal rescue.
What is The Last Ark Orphanage?
A horse and dog sanctuary in Uruguay founded by Mitra that rehabilitates and rewilds animals.