‘Madeline’ Actress Hatty Jones Reflects On Her Hollywood Experience In Her Debut Play, ‘That Girl’

Roo Lewis

Plucked from obscurity in an audition of 9,000 girls, 20 years ago at only nine years old, Hatty Jones was selected to play the title role in the classic children’s film Madeline. Acting alongside Oscar-winner Frances McDormand, the role saw Hatty travel around the world to promote the film, even having the opportunity to introduce the Spice Girls live on an American late-night TV show. Now, approaching 30 years old, Hatty has written her debut play, That Girl, which explores what might have been of that child actor. Female friendship, Tinder, career—it’s all in there.

Tell me what you remember of the casting process for Madeline all those years ago?

I attended an after-school drama club in North London, where I heard about the Madeline auditions that were happening during the school holiday. There were four or five rounds of auditions and a screen test. The director of the film and the producers flew in from the States to meet us in London and were incredibly friendly, and also very glamorous and exciting to nine-year-old me! They talked to us like adults and were interested in everything that we wanted to talk about. I was desperate to be in the film, and every single night would make a wish before I went to sleep that I would get cast.

Not knowing many Americans at the time, I remember during the screen test being asked if I needed the restroom. I thought this meant a chill out room, with sofas and a TV. When I was directed to the bathroom I was very confused.

Do you look back on the whole experience positively? Or are there things about it you wish had happened differently or you could have done differently?

I look back at the experience very positively. I wanted to be in Madeline so much; I loved acting and being on set. I never needed encouragement to go to work every day. And also I was so well looked after, by my parents, the film producers, the director and crew. In addition, I was always surrounded by 11 other girls—so between takes we would have fun playing little clapping games. Frances McDormand would often join in! The whole experience was such an adventure. Being so young I didn’t feel any pressure to perform in a certain way. I was able to enjoy it completely.

What happened right afterwards? Did you ever think you would like to carry on along this path of being a child actor?

After filming in Paris for four months I went back to school in North London, but for the next year I spent all my holidays in the USA or Australia promoting the movie, including two appearances on David Letterman (where I introduced my idols the Spice Girls live on stage) and on Good Morning America. I attended film premieres, a film festival in Las Vegas, autograph signings even Madeline look alike competitions— which were a bit strange.

Despite loving the experience, at that age I wasn’t keen to continue working. I did go for some auditions, but never really wanted any of the jobs. I wanted to be in London to hang out with my friends. I remember a few times after Madeline that I missed out on birthday parties, or sleepovers in London because I was away or being interviewed. I also stopped enjoying auditions, they never seemed as fun as the Madeline auditions.  

Any anecdotes or funny things you remember from the set all those years ago?

It was a very fun set to be on! With so many girls my age, we truly had a great time. There was one day when I played a trick on the crew! I was waiting all day to film a scene, which they had put last in the schedule. I didn’t mind at all but  Daisy von Schuler Mayer, the director, came up to me before my scene and together we concocted a plan, so that when we eventually started shooting, instead of acting, I would pretend to go crazy and start screaming at everyone ‘Why did you leave my scene until last? I’m the star in this movie. Get me my agent! Where is my contract?!’

For a few seconds Allen Stewart, the producer and lovely French crew were shocked, clearly thinking ‘Who is this little brat?!’ But quite quickly everyone realised it was a joke!

Roo Lewis

It’s such an iconic film—do you ever get recognized now?

I actually do. Especially with women my age, or slightly younger. Sometimes people think they have met me before, or ask what school I went to, adamant we are friends. I guess they recognize my face, but can’t place it exactly. I rarely mention the film unless they do. In case I actually do know them or we have met before!

Tell me about the process of writing That Girl—how long have you been writing it/developing it?

I started writing it two years ago, but during that time it has gone through several redrafts and it has naturally developed and evolved. For the last year and a half I have been working on it with the Artistic Director of Broken Silence Theatre Tim Cook, who is also directing and producing the play. He has read all the drafts and been a crucial part of the development process. We had a rehearsed reading last year where I was able to hear the play read out loud to an audience, which was so helpful. When you are stuck behind your laptop for months, you crave for it to come to life off the page.

Since writing it I have also joined a writing club with a group of friends. I have been developing other work with them, but those sessions have certainly filtered into the final version of That Girl.

What do you think 10 year-old Madeline/Hatty Jones would think of the play and of your life now?

I think 10 year old Hatty would love this. I was so brave, and fearless when I was a child – I am trying to channel that into this production. She would be telling everyone she meets to come and see it.

What is your hope for this project? To take it to a bigger theatre after this?

I would definitely like the play to continue to develop. I would love for it to have another life in London, but also in New York. As the movie was big in the United States, I think it would work well there.

Courtesy of Hatty Jones

I love the synopsis for this play! As well as mining your own life and experiences for That Girl—did you interview other people, speak to friends to collect stories etc?

I have lived in a big shared house and wanted to write about the politics of day to day life, living with friends, getting boyfriends and shifting loyalties. I have collected stories from people my age who are going through a variety of life experiences and making different choices as they approach 30. There are those who continue to follow their dreams and risk a life of uncertainty for their creative satisfaction, and those who choose to embrace convention with job security, a house and family. As well as child acting, the play is about online dating, living with friends, jobs, relationships and the loss of youth and innocence.

I wanted to create a world that is not mine, but could have been. A parallel universe, if you will, if a few of the facts had been different.