The great Emma Thompson had to undergo a transformation to become Miss Trunchbull for Matilda the Musical, leaving the veteran actress looking rather unrecognizable. Getting into character meant spending about three and a half hours each day of filming with the wardrobe and makeup departments working together on the transformation. It includes the application of facial prosthetics along with a hefty, padded suit that was applied to represent the character’s muscle mass.

In a new chat with Variety, Thompson recalled what it was like during the filming of Matilda the Musical. She revealed how the project had her spending more time in the makeup chair than any other she’s been a part of. It was a bit strenuous, even for a performer as accomplished as Thompson. From the interview:

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Alisha Weir, the 13-year-old child star who plays the titular Matilda, also revealed how it felt to see the transformation. She called it a “bit scary” at first, but as she knew that Thompson was still there “under all the makeup,” there was no problem. Weir was even hugging Thompson between takes, much to the chagrin of director Matthew Warchus. As Thompson explains:

“Cruella was a long time, actually, but this was the longest. There’s an actual body suit, which is to give her the heft and the muscle. And then a massive weighty underwear and pretend chest and all of that. It was a lot to walk around in.”

When images of Thompson were previously released, showcasing the first look at her in character, there was some controversy on social media. Some had issues with Thompson putting on a “fat suit” to play Miss Trunchbull, arguing that this took away an acting opportunity from a plus-size performer. The use of “fat suits” in general have also been criticized with other projects, such as Brendan Fraser’s new film The Whale. But with Miss Trunchbull, fans of Matilda have pointed out that the character is basically pure muscle, and the suit isn’t supposed to represent obesity but rather to make Thompson appear much more muscular.

“Matthew got very annoyed with me for doing that. [He said] ‘The children are supposed to be frightened of you and hate you. Stop hugging them.’”

Matilda the Musical Reimagines the Roald Dahl Story

     Netflix

Matthew Warchus directed Matilda the Musical using a screenplay by Dennis Kelly, though the story is inspired by the original Matilda by Roald Dahl. Along with Alisha Weir and Emma Thompson, the film stars Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, and Andrea Riseborough.

Matilda the Musical will start streaming on Netflix on Dec. 25, 2022. You can watch the official trailer below.