| Matilda Wormwood | |
|---|---|
| Matilda character | |
 Mara Wilson as Matilda Wormwood | |
| First appearance | Matilda (1988) |
| Last appearance | Matilda the Musical (2022) |
| Created by | Roald Dahl |
| Portrayed by | In the films: Mara Wilson (1996) Alisha Weir (2022) In the musical: Kerry Ingram |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Student / Wizard |
| Family | Harry Wormwood (father) Zinnia Wormwood (mother) Michael Wormwood (older brother) Jennifer Honey (adoptive mother) |
| Relatives | Magnus Honey (adoptive grandfather, deceased) Mrs. Honey (adoptive grandmother, deceased) |
| Nationality | British (novel/musical/2022 film) American (1996 film) |
Matilda Wormwood, also known by her adoptive name Matilda Honey, is the title character of the bestselling 1988 children's novel Matilda by Roald Dahl. She is a highly precocious five and a half (six and a half in the 1996 film) year old girl who has a passion for reading books. Her parents do not recognize her great intelligence and show little interest in her, particularly her father, a secondhand car dealer who verbally abuses her. She discovers she has telekinetic powers which she uses to her advantage.[1][2] She then gets adopted by Miss Honey, who has taught her at her school, who is very nice to her and does notice her intelligence. In the BBC Radio 4 two-part adaptation of the novel, she is played by Lauren Mote, and in the 1996 film, she is portrayed by American actress Mara Wilson. In the 2022 film, she is played by Alisha Weir.[3]
- ^ Allott, Serena (26 November 2010). "Waltzing Matilda: Dahl's classic dances on to the stage". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
- ^ "Once upon a time, there was a man who liked to make up stories ...". The Independent. 12 December 2010. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
- ^ Jones, Tamera (15 June 2022). "Alisha Weir Is a Precocious Child in 'Matilda the Musical' Images". Collider. Retrieved 15 June 2022.