For many fans of Matilda, Amanda Thripp being swung through the air by her pigtails remains one of the movie’s most unforgettable moments. Played by Jaki Steiger, who was known as Jacqueline at the time, the young actor was eager to perform the sequence and later recalled how much they enjoyed being part of it. Unlike many movie stunts, much of the scene was created practically, using a harness, crane and carefully planned effects. Director and star Danny DeVito later explained that Jaki was lifted and swung during filming, while small visual effects helped complete the illusion. Jaki even had a special codeword—“jellybeans”—to let the crew know when they had become too dizzy. Their enthusiasm was so strong that the stunt double reportedly had relatively little to do because Jaki wanted to experience the action themselves.

Although Jaki continued acting throughout much of their childhood, they eventually decided that Hollywood was no longer the right path. In a post shared on Instagram, they explained that constantly attending auditions and having to cancel important social plans became exhausting. After leaving acting, Jaki explored an entirely different future, studying Linguistics, Anthropology and Queer Theory at university. Their career later included teaching English in Thailand, customer support, educational design, knowledge architecture and grant writing. They have not completely left their Matilda past behind, however, occasionally returning for reunions and special appearances. More than three decades later, Amanda Thripp remains a beloved part of childhood movie nostalgia, while Jaki’s journey shows that sometimes the most memorable child stars find their own kind of success far away from Hollywood.