“Matilda” co-stars Mara Wilson and Danny DeVito are planning on having a small reunion by narrating the 1996 film for a concert. The two were planning on performing “Matilda” live with the New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra just before the SAG-AFTRA strike began.
“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,” DeVito explained. “However, we’re still planning to do that. We’re just 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!”
DeVito directed this film adaptation based on the book by Roald Dahl. The book and film are about a 6-year-old girl with telekinetic powers and a neglectful family. Not only did DeVito direct, but he and his wife, Rhea Perlman, looked after Wilson when her mother became terminally ill. DeVito even got a rough cut of the movie for Wilson’s mother to see before she ultimately passed.
The “Matilda in Concert” event was originally scheduled for September 9th at the State Theater New Jersey. It was postponed due to the actor’s strike. “Everyone involved in this production was very much looking forward to performing together this September, and we are disappointed to have to postpone it, but we look forward to holding the performance on a future date once the strike has ended,” reads the theater’s statement. While DeVito is only mentioned as the narrator, he did say that Wilson would be there too.
Back in 2013 the cast did have a reunion, where they reenacted the infamous cake scene. Check out the hilarious reenactment that is spliced with the actual scene down here:
