Kiami Davael, best known for her role as Lavender in 1996’s Matilda starring Mara Wilson (Matilda Wormwood), is all grown up 29 years after the cult classic—and fans say she’s more gorgeous than ever.
The actress—who went on to appear in The Pretender, Moesha, The Steve Harvey Show, Promised Land, Conan the Adventurer, In the House, Growups, and more—is no longer a 10 year old girl, but a well accomplished woman, and those familiar with the beloved movie are stunned at how gracefully she has aged.
These days, Davael, 39, is active on social media, often sharing content and life updates via Instagram.
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On Aug. 2, blog account Black Geek Squad paid homage to the child star for the major part she played in shaping the film, though subtle, and for making “every little Black girl who was quiet but brilliant, weird but wise,” feel “seen.”
For those unfamiliar with the cult classic, based on Roald Dahl‘s 1988 children’s novel of the same name, here’s the synopsis: “A clever girl with psychic powers outsmarts her uncaring family and helps her beloved teacher break free from a mean headmistress’s control.” The cast also features Danny DeVito (Harry Wormwood) and his real-life wife, Rhea Perlman (Zinnia Wormwood), Pam Ferris (Miss Trunchbull), and Embeth Davidtz (Miss Honey).
“Before Matilda ever lifted a finger, Lavender had already flipped the vibe. She wasn’t the lead. She wasn’t loud. But when it came time to strike? She did that — with glasses, braids, and zero hesitation,” the post, titled “The girl who dropped a newt… and shook the room,” was captioned.
“She didn’t snitch. Matilda didn’t fold. Because ‘best friends don’t tell’… They ride,” it added. “Her name is Kiami Davael — and for every little Black girl who was quiet but brilliant, weird but wise, soft-spoken but scheming? Lavender made you feel seen.”
The social media upload went on to honor the actress, sharing, “This post is for her. For you. And for the chaos, confidence, and ride-or-die friendship she gave us in a single scene.”
See the post here!
Fans in the comment section raved over both Davael’s beautiful looks and iconic portrayal of Lavender.
“She’s gorgeous 😍,” one gushed, with another echoing that sentiment, simply writing, “Gorgeous💐💐💐💐.”
“Lavender😍,” a third swooned.
Another wrote, “I wore glasses just like her and felt seen when this came out 🤎,” as an additional person chimed in, “My fav character in the movie I was always sad [sic] it wasn’t enough of her 💜💜💜💜💜.”
“😍😍😍 weird but wise 🥹 thank you for this post,” another follower said.
More commenters dropped, “This movie will never get old,” “The way this movie molded me. I saw myself in both of them and honestly still do!” and “Lavender was one heck of a best friend to Matilda❤️.”
Davael even popped up in the comment section, responding with gratitude: “🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 this is the sweetest. Thank you SO very much! Love y’all down! ❤️.”
Meanwhile, someone else admitted, “That’s it, I’m watching Matilda again.”
Matilda is streaming now on Tubi, and available for rent or purchase via Prime Video.
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