Hugh Grant's Disdain for Portraying an Oompa Loompa in 'Wonka' – But Financial Motivation Persists
Hugh Grant reluctantly takes on the role of an Oompa Loompa in the film 'Wonka,' expressing his discontent with the filmmaking process Despite his reservations, Grant admits to needing the money
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Hugh Grant isn’t thrilled with the world of imagination — especially when he’s portraying a tiny curmudgeonly orange man.
In the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel, Wonka, 63-year-old Grant will be seen portraying an Oompa Loompa. Despite the magical setting of the movie, Grant expressed his discontent during a recent press conference, describing the filming process as "drivel" due to the uncomfortable motion capture techniques used by director Paul King. Grant found the camera rig he wore around his head to be extremely uncomfortable, expressing his strong dislike for the entire experience.
Grant expressed uncertainty about how to approach the filming of his scenes and never received a satisfactory answer. He confessed that his performance was ultimately replaced with animation, noting that what he did with his body was subpar. He lamented that the dancing scenes, which should have been enjoyable, were ultimately carried out by an animator.
When asked if Wonka’s final product was worth all the sacrifices made as an Oompa Loompa, Grant replied, “Not really,” leading his fellow cast members to burst into laughter.
He later clarified that his comment had nothing to do with Wonka and King in particular. “I slightly hate making films but I have lots of children and need money,” he joked. Grant, who has five children, shares two with ex-wife Tinglan Hong and three with wife Anna Eberstein.
The actor expressed his concerns about the widespread use of CGI in the entertainment industry, stating that it can sometimes make it difficult to distinguish what is real. He recalled an instance during his work on Paddington 2 when he had to ask if a bear was actually real due to the advanced CGI techniques.
Grant’s sarcasm isn’t something King finds offensive. In fact, it was Grant’s sometimes biting demeanor that made him perfect for his role in the fantasy adventure film. The director said Grant possessed the exact qualities needed to portray a grumpy Oompa Loompa opposite Timothée Chalamet’s ever-optimistic and mischievous Willy Wonka.
Warner Bros.
In a December 4th interview with The Radio Times, King revealed that the Oompa Loompas have minimal dialogue in both the book and films, but in the book they are depicted through long, humorous poems that are biting, sarcastic, scornful, and incredibly funny. As he read them, Hugh's voice began to emerge in his head.
Announced in May 2021, Wonka chronicles the eccentric chocolatier's early adventures as he encounters his first Oompa Loompa. The film features several musical numbers, and Grant was not the only cast member who felt anxious about stepping into the enchanting world of Wonka.
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Chalamet, 27, told People last month that “a lot of auto-tune” was used on his vocals, but felt more optimistic than Grant about the performance.
"I absolutely loved it," he exclaimed to the outlet. "With my mom as a dance teacher, my grandmother being a dancer, and my sister also dancing, I've always been surrounded by it. But there's a huge difference between being around it and actually having to do it."
