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.

Matilda's intellect has given her telekinetic abilities, which she discovered in class one day after inadvertently tipping over a glass of water containing a live newt on Miss Trunchbull.

Horrified, she completely vanishes from existence following the events of Matilda's practical joke, leaving her house and worldly possessions to her niece, without any information established relating to her current whereabouts.

In the musical Stratford production Matilda was portrayed by three young actresses: Adrianna Bertola, Josie Griffiths, and Kerry Ingram.

[5] When the production moved to the West End Ingram was the only one who transferred and three new actresses were brought in: Cleo Demetriou, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington Cox.