• Alisha Weir stars as the titular character in Netflix’s Matilda musical.
• She is 13 years old.
• She is from Ireland.

, 13, plays Matilda in the that comes out on Christmas Day. She takes over the role from , who played Matilda in the 1996 movie. In Netflix’s Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, Alisha’s Matilda is a little girl with a big imagination who attends Crunchem Hall, where she finds herself at odds with the villainous Miss Trunchbull, played by . Fans are so excited to see Alisha’s take on Matilda just in time for the holiday season.

So, who is Alisha Weir? The talented teenager has a bright future ahead of her, that’s for sure. Here’s what you need to know about Alisha.

1. Alisha cried when she was cast as Matilda.

Alisha was with her family when director Matthew Warchus told her on Zoom that she landed the role of Matilda. “My two sisters, my mum and dad, and I just burst into tears because I don’t think you can expect what kind of reaction you’re going to get in that situation,” the actress said in an interview with the. “I burst into tears because I just couldn’t believe it.” Alisha was one of thousands of young girls who auditioned to be Matilda, and ultimately the role went to her.

2. She also sings in the musical.

Alisha gets to show off her vocal chops in Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical. On her she’s credited for the songs “Miracle,” “Naughty,” “When I Grow Up,” and “Quiet,” from the movie musical’s soundtrack. Christopher Nightingale composed the score while Tim Minchin wrote the songs.

3. She’s Irish.

Alisha grew up in the Knocklyon area of Dublin, Ireland, and was raised by her dad Mark and her mom Jenny, according to  Alisha has two sisters who also share her love for performing. Her sister Katie Weir went to Urdang, a performing arts school in London.

4. She went to drama school.

Alisha attended drama school in Ireland. She was a student when she was cast in Matilda when she was 11 years old. The only performing experience she had was a brief performance on Ireland’s The Late Late Toy Show, where she performed a rendition of ‘s song “True Colours”. Alisha also briefly performed a song on Ireland’s Dancing With The Stars.

5. She’s in an upcoming film with Olivia Colman.

Alisha is in the upcoming comedy movie Wicked Little Letters. She plays the daughter of Oscar nominee ‘s character.  is the lead role in the film, which follows the residents of a small town in England who investigate the source of strange letters that they’ve been receiving.