She Played Lavender In ‘Matilda’—Now Kiami Davael Opens Up About Child Stardom, Sacrifice, And Reinvention [Exclusive]
With a new documentary on the way, Kiami Davael revisits her Matilda era, sharing what childhood fame taught her about identity, faith, and staying grounded in Hollywood. The post She Played Lavender In ‘Matilda’—Now Kiami Davael Opens Up About Child Stardom, Sacrifice, And Reinvention [Exclusive] appeared first on MadameNoire.
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For many, 1996’s film adaptation of Matilda is a childhood staple with equal parts magic, mischief, and memory. For Kiami Davael, who played Lavender at just eight years old, it was the beginning of a life that would unfold far beyond what audiences ever saw onscreen.
Now, with her and Jahmar Hill’s upcoming documentary Lavender: Life After Matilda set to be released later this year, Davael is offering something far more personal than nostalgia. The film, she explains, is not a retrospective of fame but an excavation of truth.
“This is about Kiami…you know, this is about Kiami’s story, Kiami’s journey…all that I have been through, the ups and downs, the lessons that I have learned,” she shared with MadameNoire in a recent conversation. “We’re just getting raw and real into the nitty-gritty and answering people’s questions about ‘where has Kiami been?’”
What emerges from that reflection is a layered understanding of what it actually means to grow up in Hollywood—especially as a Black girl navigating visibility, vulnerability, and transition in real time. Here are 10 things Davael says she wishes she knew before becoming a child star.
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The post She Played Lavender In ‘Matilda’—Now Kiami Davael Opens Up About Child Stardom, Sacrifice, And Reinvention [Exclusive] appeared first on MadameNoire.
