While filming Matilda, Mara Wilson's mother was dying of cancer. Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman quietly cared for Mara like their own daughter. DeVito secretly took an unfinished cut of the film to the hospital and screened it for her dying mother. He kept it quiet for years.
Danny DeVito Screened Matilda for Mara Wilson's Dying Mother. He Kept It Secret for Years.
Mara Wilson was nine years old when she landed the lead role in Matilda. Her mother Suzie was losing her battle with breast cancer.
Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman became surrogate parents to Mara on set. But DeVito did something else that remained private for years. He arranged for a rough cut of Matilda to be screened at Suzie's bedside.
Suzie Wilson died on April 26, 1996, four months before the premiere. She never saw the finished film in a cinema. But thanks to DeVito, she saw her daughter become Matilda.
Mara wrote about it in her 2016 memoir Where Am I Now?
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Danny DeVito really screen Matilda for Mara Wilson's dying mother?
When did Mara Wilson's mother die?
Verified Fact
Confirmed via Mara Wilson memoir Where Am I Now? (2016). Suzie Wilson died April 26, 1996. Film released August 2, 1996.
Mara Wilson memoir
