Matilda The Musical Is Repeating An Awful Trend (Despite ACS Criticisms)
Beloved children's book Matilda is getting its own movie musical adaptation on Netflix, but the new trailer shows it's embracing a terrible Hollywood trend, despite American Crime Story recently facing backlash for the same reason. The upcoming Matilda musical is based on Roald Dahl's 1988 children's novel, as well as the 2010 musical adaptation of the book. Emma Thompson is set to play the character of Miss Trunchbull, and, unfortunately, she's donning a fat suit to do it. Miss Trunchbull has long been rooted in fatphobia, but a fat suit takes it a step further.
The story centers on Matilda, who is sent to Crunchem Hall Primary School by her neglectful parents. She is hopeful of this new opportunity but soon finds herself at the mercy of Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress of the school and primary antagonist of Matilda. Matilda finds comfort in one of the teachers, Miss Honey, depicted as the antithesis of Miss Trunchbull.
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The recently released trailer of Matilda shows Cruella's Emma Thompson in a fat suit, proving no lessons have been learned about the lack of diverse body casting in Hollywood. The character of Miss Trunchbull already reinforces fat stereotypes, making her fatness part of her villainhood. The slim Miss Honey is depicted as soft-spoken, feminine, and good-natured, while Miss Trunchbull is depicted as loud, large, and joyless. In the book, Dahl describes Miss Trunchbull as a "gigantic holy terror," who «plowed right through» anything in her way. Even part of Miss Honey's trauma is centered around Miss Trunchbull stealing food from her, which takes the form of a chocolate box. The exaggerated appearance of Miss Trunchbull in the book
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