The Incredible Truth Behind the Wonka Movie's Insane Chocolate Consumption: Insider Reveals He Packed on 50 Pounds!

Wonka director Paul King has unveiled the extensive use of actual chocolate on the movie's set. Inspired by Roald Dahl's works and serving as a prequel to the beloved 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka features Timothée Chalamet as the renowned chocolatier and candy maker. The upcoming film portrays one of Willy Wonka's early escapades, particularly his initial encounter with the iconic Oompa Loompas, who eventually become his factory employees.

In anticipation of Wonka's release later this year, King discloses to People that the filming process involved the presence of an on-set chocolatier and a substantial amount of genuine chocolate. Instead of relying on a replacement, the film even incorporated a real vessel filled with lukewarm chocolate, allowing Chalamet and co-star Calah Lane to immerse themselves. See King's complete statement below:

I believe I've put on around 50 pounds, but I am hopeful to shed the weight prior to the release of the movie. It's astonishing how slim and attractive Timmy manages to stay. I'm attempting to make him gain weight, but it proves to be quite challenging.

We had an exceptional chocolatier who crafted these extraordinary creations for us to sample. They tasted far superior than necessary, as actors possess an innate ability to make things seem real. The actual marvel was that their taste matched their appearance flawlessly.

"We actually made an enormous vat of hot chocolate — not scalding, just warm hot chocolate for them to immerse themselves in. So there was a lot of chocolate around."

What To Expect From Wonka

Alongside Chalamet, the upcoming Wonka film stars Hugh Grant, who plays an Oompa Loompa. Grant's portrayal pays homage to the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory rather than Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Overall, the movie appears to resemble the 1971 classic starring Gene Wilder, as King has expressed his fondness for it.

Chalamet and Grant are joined by a talented ensemble for the Wonka cast, which includes Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Keegan-Michael Key, Matt Lucas, Paterson Joseph, and Simon Farnaby, among others. The newest trailer for the film provides a glimpse of the impressive performances to expect, with Atkinson portraying a priest and Lucas and Joseph as members of the "Chocolate Cartel". From what has been shown so far, it seems that the movie aims to capture the charm and whimsy of the original 1971 film. Much credit goes to the set design and Chalamet, who will showcase his singing and dancing abilities in several numbers. Although Wonka won't be in theaters for another five months, it is already shaping up to be a delightful revisit to the world created by Dahl in 1964.

Source: People