If you searched for ‘what’s the principal’s name from matilda’, you have probably just finished watching the Matilda movie and want to sort out who is who among the adults at Crunchem Hall. The principal, or headmistress, is Miss Trunchbull, but she is only one of several teachers and school figures in the film, and this guide takes a wider view: it looks at the whole teaching cast, what each character does, how the film presents them, and why the names are so easy to mix up. By the end, you will be able to name the headmistress, the classroom teacher, and the other adults around Matilda with confidence, and you will understand how each one shapes the story.
The 1996 film Matilda, directed by Danny DeVito, is based on Roald Dahl’s 1988 book, and it keeps the book’s central idea intact: a brilliant little girl is surrounded by adults who either ignore her gifts or actively try to crush them. The school scenes are where that idea comes to life most clearly. In a single school, the film gives us a kind teacher, a terrifying headmistress, a nervous librarian figure in the wider story, and a parade of pupils who react to both. The teachers are not background decoration; they are the story’s moral argument, showing two opposite ways of treating children.
What ‘what’s the principal’s name from matilda’ Means
The phrase ‘what’s the principal’s name from matilda’ asks for the name of the person in charge of Matilda’s school. In the film, that person is Miss Trunchbull, played with unforgettable ferocity. In British schools, the role is called headmistress, while in American schools the same job is usually called principal, which explains why searchers use the word principal even though the film says headmistress. The meaning of the question is therefore simple: who runs Crunchem Hall, and what is she called?
Answering that question well means going beyond a single name. The film deliberately contrasts its teachers, so a viewer who only learns the headmistress’s name may still wonder who the nice teacher was, or whether the headmistress also taught a class. This guide answers the headline question first, then fills in the rest of the staff list, so that no character is left as a vague memory of a stern face or a kind voice.
Why ‘what’s the principal’s name from matilda’ Appears in Search Results
Questions like ‘what’s the principal’s name from matilda’ keep appearing because Matilda is a film that people return to. Parents show it to their children, teachers use it in class discussions about fairness and bullying, and streaming services keep it in front of new audiences. Each new viewing creates a new round of questions, especially from viewers who remember the plot clearly but have forgotten a surname.
The film also invites this kind of search because its teachers are so distinctive. The headmistress is larger than life, the classroom teacher is gentle and memorable in a quieter way, and the two are often remembered as a pair rather than as individuals. A searcher may remember that there was a mean woman in charge and a kind woman in the classroom, but not which name belonged to which role. A clear cast overview solves that problem in one reading, which is exactly what this guide aims to do.
The Teachers of Crunchem Hall at a Glance
Crunchem Hall is not a large school in the film, but its staff list is carefully drawn. At the top is Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress, who controls discipline, assemblies, and the daily routine. Beneath her, in the classroom where Matilda spends most of her school day, is Miss Honey, the kind teacher who becomes Matilda’s protector and friend. Around them are other adults who drift in and out of school scenes, including the cook and various staff, but the story’s focus stays firmly on these two women and the contrast between them.
That contrast is not accidental. Dahl and the filmmakers use it to ask a simple question: what should a school feel like? Under Miss Honey, a classroom feels safe, curious, and encouraging, even when resources are limited. Under Miss Trunchbull, the whole school feels tense, silent, and frightening, even when the building itself is grand. The film suggests that the adults in charge set the emotional temperature of a school, and that children notice the difference immediately.
| Teacher | Role | Relationship with Matilda |
|---|---|---|
| Miss Trunchbull | Headmistress, or principal | Antagonist who punishes and frightens her |
| Miss Honey | Classroom teacher | Ally who recognises and nurtures her talent |
| Other school staff | Support roles | Background figures who enforce the headmistress’s rules |
Miss Trunchbull: The Headmistress
Miss Trunchbull, full name Agatha Trunchbull, is the principal figure in the Matilda movie. She is introduced as a former hammer-throwing champion who believes children should be hardened, not coddled. She marches through corridors, inspects pupils each morning, and invents punishments that belong more to a fairy tale than to a real school, including the Chokey, a tiny, dark cupboard used to frighten children into obedience. Her voice, her size, and her absolute certainty make her one of the most memorable villains in family film.
Her performance works because it is played straight. She is not winking at the audience; she genuinely believes that fear is good teaching. That sincerity makes her funny in an exaggerated way, but it also makes her frightening, because the children in the film have no one to appeal to above her. She is the top of the school hierarchy, which is precisely why the principal question matters: she cannot be overruled by another teacher, and only Matilda’s courage, combined with Miss Honey’s quiet support, finally breaks her hold on the school.
Miss Honey: The Classroom Teacher
Miss Honey is Matilda’s classroom teacher and the emotional heart of the film. She is gentle, observant, and quick to notice that Matilda can read advanced books and solve problems far beyond her age group. Where Miss Trunchbull sees a child to be controlled, Miss Honey sees a child to be taught. She tests Matilda fairly, speaks to her with respect, and eventually becomes the adult who offers her a safe home.
Miss Honey’s own story is closely tied to the headmistress. She grew up in the house that Miss Trunchbull now occupies, and she lives modestly because her salary is taken by the headmistress under a cruel arrangement. This backstory explains why Miss Honey is initially afraid to challenge her boss, and why her eventual stand matters so much. She is not simply kind; she is brave in a quieter way, choosing to protect a child even when it costs her personally. For many viewers, she is the teacher they wish they had, and the reason the film feels hopeful rather than merely frightening.
The Other Adults in Matilda’s World
Beyond the school, Matilda’s world is filled with adults who fail her in different ways. Her father, Harry Wormwood, is a dishonest car dealer who mocks reading and learning. Her mother, Zinnia, is absorbed in television and bingo and pays little attention to her daughter. Her brother, Michael, is mostly indifferent. These characters are not teachers, but they matter to the teacher question, because they explain why school matters so much to Matilda: it is the one place where an adult finally sees her clearly.
The film also includes the librarian, Mrs Phelps, who lets Matilda borrow books and read in peace. She is not a teacher at Crunchem Hall, but she plays a teaching role in Matilda’s life, giving her access to stories and treating her reading seriously. Together, Mrs Phelps and Miss Honey show that teaching is not only about classrooms and lessons; it is about any adult who takes a child’s mind seriously. Miss Trunchbull, by contrast, shows what happens when an adult in authority does the opposite.
Casting and Performance: Why the Teachers Feel So Real
The Matilda movie’s teachers feel real because they are played as complete characters, not as cartoons. Miss Trunchbull is physically imposing and vocally dominant, while Miss Honey is soft-spoken and still. The contrast is visible in posture, in voice, and in the way each woman moves through a room. The filmmakers also use the school building itself: Miss Trunchbull’s office and the assembly hall feel grand and cold, while Miss Honey’s classroom feels small and warm, even though it is plain.
That visual storytelling helps young viewers understand hierarchy without needing it explained. Children watching the film can tell, within minutes, who is in charge and who is kind, even before they learn any names. The names then become labels for feelings they already understand: Trunchbull equals fear and unfairness, Honey equals warmth and safety. That is why the names stick in memory as a pair, and why a search for one often leads to a search for the other.
Book Versus Film: Do the Teachers Change?
Readers who know both the book and the film will notice small differences in the teachers, but the essentials do not change. In Dahl’s book, Miss Trunchbull is described in vivid, exaggerated prose, while in the film her presence is physical and visual. In the book, Miss Honey’s poverty and quiet dignity are described in detail, while in the film they are shown through her tiny cottage and simple meals. Neither version softens Miss Trunchbull or hardens Miss Honey; the adaptation is faithful to the moral contrast that drives the story.
One practical difference is worth noting for trivia fans. The book gives readers time to learn names gradually, while the film introduces characters quickly, which can make names harder to catch on a first viewing. If you watched the film as a child, you may have remembered the characters by appearance rather than by name, and only later wondered what they were called. That is a normal way to remember a film, and it is another reason why cast guides like this one are useful long after the credits roll.
More Character Name Guides
If you like sorting out casts and character names, our other guides may help. See our round-up of classic story character names for another famous ensemble, our guide to Ghostbusters character names for a film cast with a very different tone, and our look at cartoon characters for a lighter take on memorable animated figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the principal’s name in the Matilda movie?
The principal, or headmistress, is Miss Trunchbull, full name Agatha Trunchbull. She runs Crunchem Hall Primary School in the film.
Who is Matilda’s teacher in the movie?
Matilda’s classroom teacher is Miss Honey, the kind teacher who recognises her talent and protects her from the headmistress.
Are Miss Trunchbull and Miss Honey related?
They are not related by blood, but their lives are closely linked: Miss Trunchbull took over the house and income that should have belonged to Miss Honey’s family, which is why their conflict is so personal.
Is the Matilda movie the same as the book?
The film follows the book closely in plot and character, with small changes for the screen. The teachers, their names, and their roles are the same in both versions.
Conclusion
To sum up, if you searched for ‘what’s the principal’s name from matilda’, the answer is Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress of Crunchem Hall, while Matilda’s classroom teacher is the kind and courageous Miss Honey. The film works because those two teachers represent opposite ideas about childhood: one rules by fear, the other teaches by encouragement. Knowing both names, and the roles behind them, turns a vague memory of a scary school into a clear picture of a cast that has entertained and reassured audiences for decades. Matilda’s triumph is not just about cleverness or special powers; it is about finding the adults who believe in you, and standing up to the ones who do not.
