NEED TO KNOW
“Matilda’s teacher Miss Honey was one of those remarkable people who appreciates every single child for who she or he is.”
So goes the sweet voiceover from the 1996 film Matilda, when viewers get to know Miss Honey, a kind and beloved teacher to young Matilda, and ultimately a confidante and more. The movie is based on the 1988 children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl.
As school years around the country wind down, many students have been paying tribute to their own Miss Honey-esque teachers on TikTok, using the voiceover and the sentimental music that goes with it to introduce educators who made a difference in their lives each year.
In an interview with PEOPLE, actress and director Embeth Davidtz, who played Miss Honey, calls the TikTok trend “such a lovely surprise. I have only come to realize it more as time has gone on and since I went on Instagram! I had no idea that she had impacted so many people and it shows how much people are longing for kindness in their lives.”
Alamy
Davidtz, 59, says she fell in love with the character, too, “the first time I read the book. I just loved her gentleness, and was so excited to explore that.”
On the set of the film, which also starred Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Mara Wilson and Pam Ferris, “the costume department and hair and makeup were so wonderful helping to develop the soft colors of her clothes and the honey colors of her hair and skin,” she adds. “It was honestly such a magical experience creating her.”
Some of her favorite memories from the film go beyond her character, though; Davditz says she “just loved” working with DeVito.
“He is such a huge-hearted, special man. With a wicked sense of humor! It was such fun.”
The two are still in touch, and DeVito sometimes “arranges cast get-together,” she reveals. “Those have been really sweet as all the children are grown-ups now and it’s great to see them that way.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Alamy
Since making the movie, Davidtz has been busy, appearing on series including Californication, Mad Men and The Morning Show. Her directorial debut, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, debuts in July.
But it’s not only acting and directing that have touched her life; Davidtz says she had her own Miss Honeys growing up, too.
“I had two,” she shares. “I had Mrs. Scheepers, my wonderful English teacher, and Mr. Reyburn who made me fall in love with theatre.”
