Arriving at the premiere of Matilda at the BFI London Film Festival, Irish newcomer Alisha Weir, who stars in the title role, said all of the big-name cast were her heroes.
Matilda, which is based on Roald Dahl's beloved book, kicked off the 66th London Film Festival on Wednesday, two months before its cinematic release.
Speaking on the red carpet in London, 13-year-old Alisha Weir, who hails from Knocklyon in Dublin, said: "It was my first ever big film. It was just amazing and I was quite nervous, but they made me feel so welcome.
"I was watching everything they were doing so I can be like them as well."
Talking about the moment she found out she had been cast as Matilda, the youngster said: "I was just so stunned. I started crying and I was just so happy and grateful.
"Growing up, I have always loved Matilda, it has just always been one of my favourites. I just can't believe it, I don't know when it will sink in, but it's mad to think that I'm Matilda."
Directed by Tony winner Matthew Warchus, Matilda also stars Emma Thompson as bullish headteacher Miss Trunchbull and BAFTA rising star Lashana Lynch as Matilda's kindly teacher, Miss Honey.
Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough play the trashy, TV-watching, money-obsessed Mr and Mrs Wormwood.
Tim Minchin, who was the composer and lyricist for the Olivier and Tony Award-winning show Matilda The Musical, said: "I feel like I've just won the lotto again and again with this thing.
"I loved making it so much and I thought it would be good enough to go to the West End and that was about as far as my brain got.
"But year after year, I get to see new actors bring it back to life, new manifestations of it in schools, and I get letters from people about what it means to them.
"And then this, to see Lashana, Alisha and what Matthew has done with this film... It's not easy to take a stage musical and turn it into a feature film, and I think he's a brilliant, brilliant writer and creator.
"I got to write a new song, which was such a joy, and I can't wait to see it on the big screen."
Thompson, who plays terrifying headmistress Agatha Trunchbull, said legendary children's writer Dahl was "extraordinary" in finding a balance between the whimsy and the bleaker realities of life.
"There's real darkness and you don't want to want to sugar-coat it, but it can't be too real.
"It's got to be frightening, but you've got to be able to contain it and get kind of a thrill from it... because children see everything."
The two-time Academy Award winner said making work for children was "sacred" because "they need to get the best of us as artists".
Comedian and actor Sindhu Vee, who stars as kindly librarian Mrs Phelps, explained her personal attachment to the film.
She said: "I love the story, I love the book. I've seen the musical eight times because I have three kids, and I love the idea of being the librarian because there was a librarian in my life who let me read books instead of walk the playground and get bullied.
"I had a terrible stammer as a child and I was the only non-Caucasian child. Matilda The Musical speaks to me very, very closely."
She added that it was "mind-blowing" to work alongside the big-name cast.
The film is due for release 25 November.
Source: Press Association with additional reporting from AFP.
