Matilda star Lashana Lynch opened up about the first time she discovered that Miss Honey was considered an LGBTQ+ icon.
If you’re a fan of author Roald Dahl or grew up in the 90s, chances are you’ve heard of Matilda.
The story, which was initially released in 1988, follows the titular character – a bright and studios young girl – as she deals with her emotionally abusive home life, the devious Miss Agatha Trunchbull and her newfound telekinetic power.
Fortunately, Matilda’s tumultuous journey is made a little easier by her school teacher Miss Honey, the only adult in her life who cares about her and supports her gifted abilities.
Since its release, Matilda and its creative story have continued to captivate audiences worldwide, resulting in a 1996 film adaptation and West End musical.
In addition to its legendary impact on pop culture, the LGBTQ+ community has also championed the Matilda property for introducing the world to Miss Honey – which many have dubbed a queer icon due to Embeth Davidtz’s iconic performance in the 1996 film.
While her icon status has been a constant topic of conversation in the queer community, her influence was lost on Captain Marvel star Lynch – who plays the character in Netflix’s new movie musical adaptation.
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In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the No Time To Die star reflected on the moment she learned about Miss Honey’s influential impact on the queer community.
“It wasn’t something I was aware of until I saw some comments on social media, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is a revelation to me,'” she revealed.
“One of my queer friends said to me after I got cast, ‘Oh my gosh. She was like my gay icon when I was growing up.’ And I was like, ‘Tell me more. What did you see? What was it? Do I need to be aware of anything?'”
Lynch went on to express her admiration of the character and her ability to connect with so many different communities.
“When there’s a character that is beloved, that represents everything to you and can speak to all people, all races, all sexes, all walks of life, then that is the perfect character,” she explained.
“You don’t have to do anything else apart from just being, and every community is going to get what they need from this one person. That’s really special. I never knew, but I’m glad.”
You can watch Matilda the Musical in cinemas in the UK and on Netflix in the US.
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