Find out who will bring the 10 most memorable characters from “Matilda” to life in her new version

In 1996, the film Matilda was released, based on the book of the same name, whose plot deals with the story of a girl ignored by her parents and with a great talent for magic. Over time, the film has become a memorable story for viewers. And to increase fan expectations, this year a trailer was released with the new cast in some of the most memorable scenes from the previous film, such as the chocolate cake.

To reinforce this moment of nostalgia, the awesome.club compiled images of the different actors who were part of Matilda’s cast in the 90s, comparing them to the new faces of this year’s musical, as well as some information about their careers. Check out!

Mara Wilson was chosen by Danny DeVito himself to play Matilda in the 1996 film of the same name. The choice was due to the girl’s artistic career, who even though she was very young, participated in productions such as A Time to Heal. The young actress was nominated for three awards and the film was rated strange and captivating.

For this year’s musical, who will bring the talented girl to life is Alisha Weir, whose acting career is just beginning. Her performance has been described as masterful and, for her restless and natural air, she was considered perfect for the role.

Director Agatha Trunchbull is the villain of the story and, in the 90’s version, actress Pam Ferris played this role with mastery. Her character pleased the children, as all the bad things she did involved humor and, at the same time, reflected the classic evil of villains in children’s stories.

But the essence of the character will have another big nuance in this new version, with Emma Thompson playing the terrible headmistress of Matilda’s school. In the newly released trailer, Trunchbull appears saying: “This school is full of rebels”, thus showing a new facet of the actress who is already well known for her long career.

The lovely teacher Honey was played by actress Embeth Davidtz, who managed to reflect the image of a sweet and charming teacher, the opposite of Trunchbull. And although many remember her for this character, Davidtz has also participated in other productions, such as in both The Amazing Spider-Man films and the Grey’s Anatomy series.

For this year’s musical, actress Lashana Lynch, known for her roles in Captain Marvel and 007: No Time to Die, will play the adorable teacher. The teacher in the new film will also support Matilda and will be thrilled with the student’s dedication to her studies and her magical skills.

Bruce was Matilda’s classmate at school, and while he had a brief cameo in the film, his scene was one of the most memorable. In it, the protagonist encourages him to finish the chocolate cake that Trunchbull forced him to eat. Who played the boy in the first version was Jimmy Karz and, unlike other actors in the cast, moved away from acting to dedicate himself to medicine.

Already in the 2022 trailer, Bruce appears eating the cake, thus indicating that they would maintain the essence of the original film. Who plays him is Charlie Hodson-Prior, who joined the cast of the musical after passing the casting call.

Danny DeVito was director and producer of the film Matilda and also played the father of the protagonist. His character stood out for being a moody car salesman who neglected his daughter. He, like Trunchbull, is one of the most notable antagonists in the story and even has the role of narrator.

In the new version, actor Stephen Graham was chosen to play Mr. Wormwood, Matilda’s father. Graham has worked on several English and British productions, such as the series This is England and The Street. In the trailer, he makes a brief appearance showing part of his grumpy personality, a trait that is unique to the character.

Actress Rhea Perlman played Matilda’s mother in 1996. Her character stood out for being a woman who ignored her daughter, preferring to play bingo. In real life, Perlman was married to Danny DeVito many years before the film was released, so the two acted together on several occasions.

In April 2021, they confirmed the participation of Ms. Wormwood in the new version, this time played by actress Andrea Riseborough. Her trajectory involves several super productions such as Oblivion, Birdman and Possessor.

Although Matilda has many enemies, she also has good allies, such as Lavender, her friend and classmate. This role was played by actress Kiami Davael in the 1996 film version. Davael also participated in other well-known productions, such as the series Conan and The Pretender.

This character could not be missing in the new version, making a brief appearance in the movie trailer. Actress Rei Yamauchi Fulker will play the protagonist’s classmate.

From a young age Matilda has been interested in books and used to go to the library often, despite her parents not understanding her love of reading. There she met Mrs. Phelps, a librarian who invited her to join so she could take the books home. The character was played by actress Jean Speegle, who also participated in other productions such as Apollo 13: From Disaster to Triumph and Cocoon.

Although it did not appear in the trailer, the participation of Ms. Phelps, this time played by Sindhu Vee, whose career involves productions such as Say My Name and Feel Good.

In the film, Hortensia was the tall blonde girl who explained to Matilda who Trunchbull was and what punishments she applied to those she considered rebellious. Who played her was Kira Spencer and, although she appeared in only one scene, it served to give an overview of the school to the protagonist.

In the 2022 version, Hortensia will appear again, but this time the dancer Meesha Garbett will play her. The little star has acted in several plays, but Matilda can be considered her biggest role to date.

Magnus was the father of Professor Honey and, in the film, he was played by actor Mark Watson. The only information about him is that he was a doctor and a single father, as well as asking Trunchbull to take care of his niece when he was away. His appearances are limited to flashbacks and the self-portrait hanging in the mansion.

Magnus will appear in the new version played by Carl Spencer. This actor is known for his performance in the 2019 movie Rocketman. In the musical Matilda, there is an indication that the character worked in a circus and gave his daughter a handkerchief from her mother.

Which scene would you like to see in the new version of Matilda? Are you a fan of any characters? What are your expectations for the new musical?