Mara Wilson on the Problem With Matilda 2

30 years on from the release of the much loved Matilda, Mara Wilson has said Matilda 2 is possible, but isn’t quite sure how it would make sense.

Aged nine, Wilson starred in the title role opposite Danny DeVito, who directed the adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel. Matilda is a six-year-old prodigy who develops psychokinetic abilities and uses them to deal with her abusive family (Danny DeVito plays her car salesman father) and Agatha Trunchbull, the tyrannical principal of her school.

As reported by People, Mara Wilson, now 38, spoke about a Matilda sequel at the Fanboy Expo in Tennessee. “People always ask me about doing a Matilda 2,” she said. “And that could be possible.”

The problem, Wilson said, is how to recreate the struggles that fueled the awakening of Matilda’s powers with a new character — especially if that new character is Matilda’s child.

“But one thing that people always say is, ‘Oh, maybe it could be Matilda’s daughter.’ And I have some issues with that, because I think Matilda’s powers come from her adversity,” Wilson explained.

“They come from the bad things that she went through, and the whole point is that she overcame these things. And she found power in educating herself and in making friends with these people who were really lovely.

“And so I don’t think Matilda would raise her daughter to be in a position where she developed those powers to protect herself.”

There are other issues, Wilson, who also starred in Mrs. Doubtfire alongside Robin Williams, said. One is the question of who would marry Matilda.

“Also, and this is a tricky question, but who would Matilda marry?” she wondered. “Who’s good enough for Matilda? Matilda’s such an awesome character that I can’t imagine who she would marry and have kids with, you know?”

Wilson was among a number of celebrities who hit out at AI “actress” Tilly Norwood last year. “Shame on these people,” Wilson said. “They have stolen the faces of hundreds of young women to make this AI ‘actress.’ They’re not creators. They’re identity thieves.”