Matilda Lawler plays Marge Truman in HBO's horror series It: Welcome to Derry, a prequel to Stephen King's It films, and Betty in Disney+'s The Santa Clauses. Her role in the horror series connects to the Pennywise lore through a revelation in the season finale. In the family series, she serves as the North Pole's Chief of Staff.
In the first season of It: Welcome to Derry, Lawler portrays Marge Truman, a character with ties to the terrors in Derry, Maine, and the ongoing Pennywise storyline featuring Bill Skarsgård. The season finale reveals Pennywise showing Marge a 'Missing' sign for her future son, Richie Tozier—played by Finn Wolfhard in 2017's It—and named after her late friend Ricardo 'Rich' Santos, played by Arian S. Cartaya. This links her directly to the franchise's lore despite not appearing in the original films directed by Andy Muschietti, available on HBO Max along with the It duology and the series itself. Lawler takes on a contrasting role as Betty in The Santa Clauses on Disney+, continuing the Tim Allen-led Santa Clause film franchise. Betty acts as Head Elf and Chief of Staff at the North Pole, assisting Scott Calvin with his retirement plans and the search for a successor. She later steps away for a 'Kribble Krabble' sabbatical, with her husband Noel—played by Devin Bright—taking over, following predecessors Bernard (David Krumholtz) and Curtis (Spencer Breslin). The entire Santa Clause franchise streams on Disney+. Lawler's dual roles highlight her involvement in two established franchises through these HBO and Disney+ series.
