Hugh Grant Says Playing Oompa Loompa In Wonka Was Very Uncomfortable: “I Made A Big Fuss About It”

Hollywood star Hugh Grant will soon be seen as Oompa Loompa in Paul King’s Wonka, which features American-French actor Timothee Chalamet in the titular role. The musical fantasy chronicles the origin story of candy maker Willy Wonka, a character who was first introduced in 1964 by Roald Dahl in the children’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and has most famously been portrayed on-screen by Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). In the 1971 film starring Wilder, the factory had many workers with orange skin and green hair; Grant’s appearance takes inspiration from the same in the upcoming film.

Grant’s character in Wonka was filmed using too many cameras and other tools for animators to animate his movements, which, the 63-year-old said, was awful and miserable. And, just when he thought it was all over, he was called in again after two months to perform the laborious task all over again. The celebrated actor also added that, while going through the entire process was awkward and confusing, he didn’t even feel it was worth it after watching the film.

Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Hugh Grant went candid about taking on the challenging and arduous role of Oompa Loompa and revealed that it was a “crown of thorns” and “very uncomfortable.” “Frankly, what I did with my body was terrible, and it’s all been replaced with an animator. [The dance sequence] should be fun, but that was done by the animator. It’s very confusing; with CGI now, you can’t tell what’s going on… I slightly hate [making films], but I have lots of children and need money,” he said.