It’s been decades since Matilda hit our screens, but the Roald Dahl classic still has us dreaming of telekinesis, chocolate cake, and toppling tyrants. Whether you fell in love with the book first or were swept away by the film, this magical story never gets old.
Let’s explore some delightful (and downright bizarre) facts about the film, the cast, and all the behind-the-scenes secrets that will make you exclaim, “You can do it, Matilda!” over and over.
The girl with the powers: Mara Wilson
Her mum’s memory lives on
Mara Wilson, the actress who stole our hearts as Matilda Wormwood, was dealing with personal tragedy during filming. Her mother, Suzie Shapiro Wilson, sadly passed away from breast cancer while the film was still in production. The film was lovingly dedicated to her.
Wanda wasn’t just a doll
Remember Matilda’s homemade doll? Mara designed her! Yep, that sweet little doll with button eyes and a frilly dress is called Wanda, and she was created by Mara herself.
The Wormwoods: The worst parents ever?
Danny DeVito – Dad on and off set
Danny DeVito played the sleazy, used-car salesman Harry Wormwood to perfection. But off-screen? He was the exact opposite. In fact, during filming, he looked after Mara Wilson during her mum’s illness and was a huge source of support.
He also directed the film—how’s that for multitasking?
Rhea Perlman – More than just a loudmouth mum
Rhea Perlman, who played the wonderfully awful Mrs Wormwood, is also an accomplished children’s author. Her Otto Undercover book series includes wild titles like Toxic Taffy Takeover and Brain Freeze.
Though she and DeVito separated in 2012, they’ve remained close and co-parented beautifully through their years together.
Miss Honey: The teacher we all wanted
Embeth Davidtz gave us the kindest, warmest teacher in cinematic history. But did you know…
- She was discovered by Steven Spielberg!
- Before Matilda, she played a role in Schindler’s List.
- She grew up in South Africa and later starred in Bridget Jones’s Diary and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
Talk about range.
Pam Ferris…Trunchbull
Miss Trunchbull: Absolutely terrifying in every way
Pam Ferris didn’t hold back
Pam Ferris was Miss Trunchbull—so much so that she often stayed in character between takes to genuinely scare the kids on set. Apparently, that fear on screen? Totally real.
Injuries, newts, and near-misses
Let’s talk chaos:
- She got chalk dust in her eye and ended up in hospital—twice.
- A real-life newt (called Mr Speaker) crawled all over her.
- When flinging Amanda Thripp by her pigtails, the wire rig nearly tore her finger off! She needed stitches after that scene.
She thought it was a snake, but nope—just a fearless little newt doing his acting debut.
Hidden Easter eggs you probably missed
Dahl all around
That portrait of Miss Honey’s father? That’s Roald Dahl himself. A touching tribute to the author who gave us this timeless tale.
The chalkboard scene was movie magic
When Matilda writes on the chalkboard, it wasn’t CGI. The crew scribbled backwards text on the other side and used magnets to guide the chalk like a ghostly hand.
Random Matilda trivia that’ll blow your mind
A crossover with The Witches?
At the end of Matilda, she and Miss Honey talk about a mouse’s heartbeat. The same convo appears in The Witches, where a boy-turned-mouse chats with his grandma. Dahl loves a good callback!
“Twit” isn’t just an insult
Mr Wormwood and Miss Trunchbull both use the word “twit” repeatedly. It’s likely a little nod to Dahl’s other book, The Twits.
The Chokey wasn’t as bad as it looked
According to Pam Ferris, the infamous Chokey wasn’t actually dangerous. The nails were rubber! But they sure looked terrifying enough to make us behave.
Wait… Matilda nearly DIED?
Yes, in an early draft of the book, Dahl wrote Matilda as a mischievous troublemaker who dies after using her powers to help fix a horse race. Luckily, he rewrote the entire story and gave us the Matilda we know and love today.
Roald Dahl wrote Matilda twice. And thank goodness he did.
Bonus trivia: Bruce and the cake
Remember Bruce Bogtrotter and the chocolate cake scene? Actor Jimmy Karz didn’t even like chocolate. They had a spit bucket ready for him after every take. Now that’s dedication.
Feeling nostalgic?
Why not revisit some of our favourite school-themed films like School of Rock, Dead Poets Society, and of course, Harry Potter (where Pam Ferris makes a return as Aunt Marge)? Check out TV & Films section for more.
Matilda will forever embody resilience, kindness, and the courage to confront bullies, regardless of their size or skill level.
