Pam Ferris, the actress behind Miss Trunchbull, lives in Kent at 78

Pam Ferris, now 78, is best known for playing the tyrannical headmistress Miss Agatha Trunchbull in the 1996 film *Matilda*. Born in Hannover while her father served with the Royal Air Force, she moved to Wales as an infant, later trained as an actress in New Zealand, and returned to the United Kingdom to begin a stage and screen career in the early 1980s. The role made her an iconic figure for a generation of children who grew up fearing the character’s iron fist.

To mark the film’s 30th anniversary, Ferris reflects on the lasting impact of the story. She now resides with her husband in a village in the English county of Kent, away from the spotlight but still remembered for her memorable performance.