Her daddy might have been a crook, but he couldn’t corruptMatilda. The 1996 family fantasyMatildatouched the hearts of many movie lovers over the years, as a young girl with psychic powers and telekinetic abilities outsmarts her father (Danny DeVito) and the whole wretched family. And Matilda (Mara Wilson) eventually discovers unconditional love from the kind-hearted Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz). 27 years after the film debuted in cinemas, star Danny DeVito announces that he and co-star Mara Wilson will reunite for a liveMatildaevent. DeVito said in an interview withThe Messenger:
“Mara and I were planning to perform ‘Matilda’ live with the New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra just before the [SAG-AFTRA] strike hit. We had it all set, but, after the strike hit, we couldn’t proceed because it would be seen as a promotion for a movie. However, we’re still planning to do that. We’re going to watch the movie with David Newman’s score and try to do it sometime soon, as it seems the strike may be coming to an end — I hope!”
The brilliant, well-read character of Matilda Wormwood first found life in the pages of author Roald Dahl’s children’s book of the same name in 1988. The feature film adaptation, which was also directed by DeVito, scored a 92% on the Tomatometer, with critics, and it is one of the best kids movies of all time.
Matilda: What Makes the 1996 Film One of the Best Kids Movies of All Time
Matilda combines a great script, an incredible cast, and beautiful storytelling to make one of the best kids movies of all time.
Danny DeVito and Mara Wilson Will Reunite for Matilda
Matildaremains an unforgettable kids film. Now, while the main character’s father, Harry (Danny DeVito), might have been horrible to his daughter (Wilson) on-screen, in real life the two actors got along very well. In fact, DeVito helped Wilson get over her nervousness when it came to performingLittle Bitty Pretty One.DeVito made the chore of performing the sequence on her own easier by having the entire cast and crew dance along with Wilson on the set, as the youngster practiced using her powers. Check out the finished scene below:
Wilson rose to prominence 30 years ago when she appeared as Robin Williams and Sally Field’s daughter in the comedy classicMrs. Doubtfire. Wilson then starred as Susan Walker — the character first portrayed by Natalie Wood — in the 1994 remake ofMiracle on 34thStreet prior to landing the titular role of Matilda in 1996.
DeVito is one of Hollywood’s most well-known and prolific performers — a true renaissance man in the acting world. With a resume boasting six decades of work,DeVito has starred ineverything fromOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nestto the television seriesTaxitoBatman Returns. Today, he plays one of the gang, Frank Reynolds, on the seriesIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. And, hopefully, fans won’t have to wait long for DeVito and Wilson’s reunion in the live version ofMatildaafter the SAG-AFTRA strike comes to an end.
