fuck yeah, jennifer bowles!

“I love Miss Honey,” Bowles said. “She is gentle and kind and real. She’s a survivor, and is much stronger than she seems. I find her connection to Matilda incredibly touching. She treats children with respect and doesn’t talk down to them, which I love. It’s how my mom treated me growing up.”

Miss Honey rallies to give Matilda a chance at a normal life and fights not only her parents to make this happen but also the evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull. Bowles admits that Miss Honey probably won’t find good in the headmistress, but she’ll do all she can to protect Matilda.

“I don’t necessarily think Miss Honey believes she can change Trunchbull,” Bowles said. “I think when Miss Honey comes into her office at the beginning of the show, she’s fueled by her amazement of Matilda. She’s just witnessed this child’s brilliance firsthand and knows she has to do something about it. She thinks Matilda should be moved to a higher level in school, and to make that happen she must go to Miss Trunchbull. She’s inspired by Matilda, and that makes her willing to (try to) put her fear of the headmistress aside. I think Miss Honey’s belief in Matilda is the main reason why she can finally manage to overcome her own timid ways.”

Bowles sees many similarities in herself as she takes on the role of the nurturing Miss Honey.

“I definitely can relate to Miss Honey’s life in certain ways,” Bowles admitted. “I come from a family of teachers, so I understand the importance of that teacher/student relationship. I also identify with Miss Honey’s sensitivity and tendency to be hard on herself. I am constantly striving to be stronger, despite any fear or insecurity that might be standing in my way. I like how hard she tries to get past her own personal roadblocks to help others. She puts other people before herself, and that’s incredibly admirable.”

One thing is for sure, the role of Miss Honey is not new for the Broadway veteran, neither is touring as this marks the actresses fourth time on the road with a show.