Matilda Child Star Jaki Steiger Reveals Life After Hollywood and Secrets Behind Iconic Pigtail Scene
Thirty years after Matilda premiered, fans still remember Amanda Thripp — the girl swung around by her pigtails by Miss Trunchbull in one of the film’s most unforgettable moments. While Mara Wilson famously left acting in 2000, Amanda’s portrayer, Jaki Steiger (credited as Jacqueline Steiger at the time), also stepped away from the spotlight. Now, the former child actor has opened up about life after Hollywood, the practical effects behind that legendary scene, and a sweet reunion with Danny DeVito.
From Child Actor to Linguistics Student
Jaki, who uses They/She pronouns, acted “pretty consistently their whole childhood,” appearing in films like Beautiful alongside Sally Field. But the grind took a toll. In a pinned Instagram post, they explained they got “tired of cancelling important social plans” to audition three times a week. Jaki ultimately quit acting to study Linguistics, Anthropology, and Queer Theory at university.
Health issues later derailed plans to work in production. Since then, Jaki has built a varied career: teaching English in Thailand, working in customer support and onboarding, becoming an educational designer, providing “knowledge architecture,” and writing grants.
Behind the Scenes: How the Pigtail Scene Was Filmed
The iconic moment where Amanda is hammer-thrown across the field wasn’t CGI magic — it was practical effects. Danny DeVito, who directed and starred in the film, explained the setup in DVD bonus material:
“We had a crane, we had a very, very big crane. It went up and came down and we put her in a harness.”
“The thing about Jacqueline (now Jaki) I remember really well is that she read. Constantly, she read as much as Matilda.”
A combination of a rig, a crane, and small bits of CGI created the illusion. Jaki recalled loving the experience, especially because they were made to “feel like they could fly.” Their codeword for getting too dizzy? “jellybeans.”
Reunions and Cameos
Despite leaving the industry, Jaki hasn’t shied away from their Matilda legacy. They offer cameos, appeared at a recent concert version of the film, and reunited with DeVito. In a 2013 reunion, they even recreated the iconic pigtail spin — a testament to a moment that still resonates three decades later.
