Danny DeVito’s Matilda has become a classic of children’s cinema, but who plays the terrifying Miss Trunchbull in this version? Roald Dahl was responsible for many children’s novels that have become classics of literature, and their popularity has led them to expand to other media. Among the most beloved stories by Dahl is Matilda, published in 1988, which has been adapted into a feature film, a two-part radio program, and even a musical, which in turn was adapted into a film in 2022 – however, the 1996 film adaptation holds a special place in the hearts of fans of the story.
Matilda follows the title character (played by Mara Wilson), a child prodigy who is neglected by her parents and tormented at school by the horrible principal, Miss Trunchbull. Matilda learns that she has psychokinetic abilities, and she begins to use these to deal with her abusive parents, Harry (DeVito) and Zinnia (Rhea Perlman), and Miss Trunchbull. Luckily for Matilda, she meets some good friends along the way and finds safety and comfort in her teacher, Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz). Miss Trunchbull is one of the characters that stand out in Matilda, and is in big part thanks to the unforgettable performance of Pam Ferris.
Pam Ferris Played Miss Trunchbull In 1996's Matilda
Danny DeVito’s Matilda counted on the talent of Pam Ferris as the tyrannical Miss Trunchbull, and she surely embodied the nightmarish principal introduced in Dahl’s novel. Agatha Trunchbull is the heistress of Crunchem Hall Primary School as well as Miss Honey’s aunt, who also served as her guardian after the death of her parents (and it’s strongly implied that she killed Miss Honey’s father, Magnus). In the 1996 movie, Miss Trunchbull competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics, and she used her skills as a shot putter, hammer, and javelin thrower to terrorize the kids and harm them, such as when she took Amanda Tripp by her piggy tails and threw her over an iron fence. Miss Trunchbull was also very superstitious, which Matilda used to her favor in order to make her leave Miss Honey’s house and later run away from town, never to be seen again.
Pam Ferris embodied Miss Trunchbull to perfection, channeling a terrifying and abusive adult who, even though her actions were over-the-top and too fantastic, young viewers could compare to the teachers they know in real-life (who, unfortunately, aren’t always nice). Ferris’ performance as Trunchbull holds a place in the hearts of the fans of Dahl’s novel, and even after Emma Thompson’s performance in the 2022 movie adaptation of the Matilda musical, still stands as the best version of the character.
Movies & Shows Pam Ferris Appeared In After Matilda
Before playing Miss Trunchbull in Matilda, Pam Ferris had been part of various stage plays and TV shows, as well as the 1983 comedy-drama movie Meantime. After the success of Matilda, Pam Ferris was part of a variety of movies, most notably Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (where she played Aunt Marge), Children of Men (as Miriam), Holmes & Watson (as Queen Victoria), and Tolkien (as Mrs. Faulkner). On TV, Pam Ferris’ most notable roles have been Peggy Snow in Where the Heart Is, Laura Thyme in Rosemary & Thyme, Baba in Luther, and Sister Evangelina in Call the Midwife. Pam Ferris doesn’t have any announced projects in line for the near future, but she has already earned a place in the hearts of many with her unforgettable appearances in worlds like those of Matilda, Harry Potter, and more.
