Roald Dahl’s eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka has been immortalized on screen by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp in very different but equally impressive performances. Timothée Chalamet is the latest actor to play this iconic character in his younger avatar in the upcoming holiday release, Wonka. The film which is a true blue musical, will see the quirky confectioner’s journey that led to him becoming a world-famous confectioner.
Despite Chalamet admitting that he was unsure of doing justice to the role, Wonka director Paul King was completely convinced that he was the perfect choice for the part. The filmmaker recalled watching old YouTube videos of the Dune star in which he was seen singing and dancing with ease, thereby assuring King that he was his Willy Wonka.
Wonka Director Cast Timothée Chalamet After Seeing His Old Performance Videos
Timothée Chalamet is all set to take on one of fiction’s famous characters, Willy Wonka. While Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp portrayed Wonka at the peak of his career, Chalamet will play a younger version of the confectioner and his journey to becoming a world famous chocolate maker. From the trailers leading upto the film, the Call Me By Your Name actor’s boyish charm seems to be perfectly suited for the character.
Director Paul King too, believed that he had made the right decision by casting Chalamet for the role. The filmmaker spoke to Rolling Stone and elaborated on why he was completely convinced that the young actor could handle the challenges of song and dance in the musical without even auditioning him. King said that a sneak peek into his lead actor’s past videos on YouTube, enabled him to make this decision.
“It was a straight offer because he’s great and he was the only person in my mind who could do it. But because he’s Timothée Chalamet and his life is so absurd, his high school musical performances are on YouTube and have hundreds of thousands of views. So I knew from stanning for Timmy Chalamet that he could sing and dance really well.”
Chalamet also revealed that he was a huge fan of musicals and the works of Fred Astaire, along with being an admirer of the performances of his predecessors, Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp.
Timothée Chalamet Did Not Want To Do Wonka For This Reason
With am impressive repertoire of films already, Timothée Chalamet has proved that he is one of Hollywood’s rising stars. His latest release Wonka which will hit theaters on December 8th, 2023, looks to be another feather in his cap. The film which is a musical prequel, will follow the story of a young Willy Wonka who goes on to become the famed chocolatier in Roald Dahl’s classic.
Chalamet though, was initially hesitant to take on the role despite being picked by director Paul King without an audition. The Dune star spoke of his love for the earlier films, and said that he did not want Willy Wonka to be a victim of blind reinvention, or a scapegoat for monetary gain. In an interview with Total Film, the star elaborated on this and said,
“Like many people, when there are remakes, I feel very protective over the original character and versions you love. Your eyebrows go up with skepticism about [whether] this is a legitimate, worthwhile story or a cynical money grab”
But Chalamet’s initial doubts were immediately erased on hearing the opening number titled Hat Full Of Dreams. The infectious and cleverly-written song convinced the actor that the film and the character will be completely unique.
