Mara Lejins is an Australian lawyer and television personality famous as “The Smiling Assassin” on The Chase Australia. She works as a Senior Solicitor at the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and made history in 2022 as the youngest Chaser on the popular quiz show. Her sharp wit, pink Barbie-inspired outfit, and trivia mastery have turned her into one of Australia’s most loved TV personalities.
Mara Lejins Wikipedia
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Mara Lejins |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 11 April 1995 |
| Age | 31 years old (as of May 2026) |
| Place of birth | Sydney, Australia |
| Current residence | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Ethnicity | Mixed (Australian-Latvian descent) |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (159 cm) |
| Weight | Not publicly disclosed |
| Hair colour | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Blue |
| Marital status | Single |
| Spouse | N/A |
| Children | None |
| Alma mater | Australian National University, Columbia University |
| Profession | Lawyer, Senior Solicitor, TV personality, Chaser |
| Nickname | The Smiling Assassin |
| Net worth | $500,000 – $1 million (estimated) |
Who is Mara Lejins?
Mara Lejins is an Australian solicitor and trivia expert who rose to fame as the youngest-ever Chaser on Channel Seven’s hit quiz program, The Chase Australia.
She joined the show in 2022 at age 27, sharing the screen with seasoned Chasers like Anne Hegerty (The Governess), Issa Schultz (The Supernerd), and Matt Parkinson (Goliath).
Before her TV stardom, Mara was a contestant on the same show in 2017. She also appeared on Beat the Chasers Australia in 2020, where she banked $58,000 in prize money. Off-screen, she practices criminal law in Sydney.
How old is Mara Lejins? Age and birthday
Mara Lejins is 31 years old as of May 2026. She was born on 11 April 1995 in Sydney, Australia, which places her under the Aries zodiac sign.
When she debuted as a Chaser in 2022, she was 28, making her the youngest Chaser in Australian quiz show history.
Mara Lejins’ height, weight, and body measurements
Mara stands approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall (around 159 cm), which she has joked about more than once on set. Her exact weight has not been publicly shared.
She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and her signature pink wardrobe on The Chase pays tribute to Barbie. Other body measurements, including bra size and shoe size, are not available in the public domain.
Is Mara Lejins married? Husband, partner, dating history and relationship status
Mara Lejins is not married and has no publicly known husband. She has kept her personal life private, and her current relationship status remains undisclosed.
In 2023, she made a lighthearted on-air joke about having a boyfriend during a Chase episode, which fans later learned was a piece of TV banter rather than a real announcement.
In 2025, online gossip briefly linked her to radio host Kyle Sandilands, but neither party confirmed any romance and the rumours faded quickly. She has no children.
Mara Lejin’ family background
Mara comes from a multicultural Australian household with deep regional roots. Her paternal grandfather was a Latvian refugee who arrived in Australia in 1947 after World War II, working on the famous Snowy Hydro Scheme before settling in Jindabyne.
On her mother’s side, her great-grandfather John Seiffert was a NSW Member of Parliament for Monaro and a former jailor at Goulburn jail. Seiffert Oval in Queanbeyan is named in his honour. Her parents met as students at ANU.
Her 89-year-old grandmother reportedly still climbs Black Mountain in Canberra weekly, proving athleticism runs in the family.
Mara Lejins’ education
Mara’s academic record is as sharp as her trivia recall. She first enrolled at the University of Sydney before transferring to the Australian National University (ANU), where she lived at Bruce Hall.
Between 2014 and 2018, she completed a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of International Relations.
She later moved to New York to study at Columbia Law School, graduating in 2023 with a Master of Laws (LLM) with Highest Honors, placing in the top two per cent of her class.
Mara Lejins’ career
Mara holds down two demanding careers at once: criminal prosecutor and television Chaser.
Legal career
She was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in March 2019. She co-founded the Women in Law Organisation (WILO) at ANU and interned at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Today she serves as a Senior Solicitor at the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, where she prosecutes criminal cases.
Television career
Mara’s TV journey started as a contestant on The Chase Australia in May 2017, where she banked $20,000 for her team. In 2020 she returned on Beat the Chasers Australia, winning $60,000 in her heat and leaving with $58,000.
In 2022, Seven Network signed her as a permanent Chaser, branding her “The Smiling Assassin.” The nickname comes from her childhood tennis days, when opponents found her cheerful demeanour unnerving paired with her fierce competitiveness.
She is regarded as the fastest Chaser in current series finals, often clocking speeds of 13 or more correct answers on 15-plus target boards.
What is Mara Lejins’ net worth and salary?
As of 2026, Mara Lejins’ net worth is estimated between $500,000 and $1 million. She earns an estimated six-figure annual salary from her senior solicitor role at the NSW ODPP, with additional income flowing from her Channel Seven contract for The Chase Australia.
Income sources
Her fortune is built from three main streams. The first is her legal salary as a senior prosecutor. The second is her television appearance fees as a regular Chaser on Seven Network.
The third comes from prize winnings, including the $58,000 from Beat the Chasers Australia, plus guest podcast and speaking engagements such as her appearance on The Justin Hamilton Podcast.
Mara Lejins’ social media presence
As of May 2026, Mara has over 22,000 followers on her official Instagram account @maralejins, where she shares behind-the-scenes Chase moments, fashion posts, travel snippets, and reflections on her Latvian-Jewish heritage. Her content style mixes personal updates with light advocacy and cultural commentary.
Fast facts about Mara Lejins
- She became the youngest Chaser in Australian TV history at age 28 in 2022.
- Her trivia journey began at weekly pub quiz nights at the RUC Turner Bowls Club in Canberra.
- Her old uni trivia team was called “Mara’s Angels.”
- She once worked as a part-time security guard at ANU during her undergraduate years.
- She graduated in the top two per cent of her Columbia Law School LLM class.
- Her trademark pink Chaser outfit is a tribute to Barbie.
- She is the tenth former Chase contestant worldwide to return as a Chaser.
- Her great-grandfather has a sports oval named after him in Queanbeyan.
- She has appeared on The Justin Hamilton Podcast discussing her dual career.
- She is fluent in legal advocacy and competitive trivia, blending both worlds with ease.
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Wrapping up
Mara Lejins has carved out a rare path that blends courtroom prosecution with prime-time entertainment. From Canberra trivia nights to The Chase Australia studios, the 31-year-old Sydney solicitor has become one of the country’s most recognisable quiz show personalities while still serving justice as a senior prosecutor. Her ongoing rise suggests “The Smiling Assassin” will keep dominating Australian screens for years to come.
References
- The Chase Wiki. “Mara Lejins”.
- Canberra Daily. “Canberra’s own TV star gives chase”.
- IMDb. “Mara Lejins”.
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