The power of imagination — onstage and off | Suki Hillier

Imagination serves as a tool for building reality rather than escaping it, a concept exemplified by 11-year-old actress Suki Hillier’s portrayal of Matilda on London’s West End. By internalizing the character’s courage and resilience, Hillier demonstrates how actors bridge the gap between their own lives and fictional narratives. This process requires deep emotional intelligence, allowing performers to convey complex human experiences like longing and defiance. Beyond the stage, this shared imaginative space fosters empathy between the performer and the audience, creating a collective experience that transcends the script. TED curator Chloe Shasha Brooks highlights that children possess a unique, innate ability to tap into this sense of wonder, offering valuable insights for adults who often lose their playful perspective as they age. This collaboration reveals that acting is less about pretending and more about listening and understanding others deeply.