After the late Gene Wilder’s and Johnny Depp’s interpretations of Roald Dahl’s iconic Willy Wonka, talented young star Timothée Chalamet is all set to regale audiences in Wonka. The film directed by Paul King which releases on 8th December 2023, will follow the early adventures of the titular protagonist during his younger days.
While Chalamet is widely considered as the perfect choice to play the young Willy Wonka, he was very appreciative of his predecessors, especially Johnny Depp, who brought out the quirky side of the character perfectly in the Tim Burton classic. The Dune actor though, confessed that he did not turn to Depp for any advice regarding how to interprete Willy Wonka.
Timothée Chalamet Did Not Consult Johnny Depp For Tips On Willy Wonka
Wonka directed by Paul King and starring Timothee Chalamet as the titular lead, is one of the most anticipated films this holiday season. The narrative based on Roald Dahl’s classic story, will trace the beginnings of Wonka as a young man, and his meeting and early adventures with the famous Oompa- Loompas. From the initial look to the final trailer, the film has all the makings of a quintessential entertainer, with Chalamet fitting the role to perfection.
The Call Me By Your Name actor looked back on the references he had for the character, and praised both Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp for their brilliant performances as Willy Wonka in their films. In particular, Chalamet was very appreciative of Depp’s version directed Tim Burton. In an interview with NME, the star said,
“[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory] came out when I was about 10 or 11 years old. And I just thought it was very bold,”
Chalamet though, revealed that he did not consult Depp or take any advice from him about how to approach the character of Willy Wonka. Instead, he chose to do his own research into the role. Considering he fact that the Dune star dated Depp’s daughter Lilly-Rose Depp for a while, this interaction, if it happened, could have taken an awkward turn.
How Is Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Different From Earlier Films?
Rising Hollywood star Timothée Chalamet‘s flair for landing marquee roles has made him one of the young actors to watch out for. This holiday season, Chalamet will be seen playing the iconic quirky chocolatier Willy Wonka created by Roald Dahl, previously portrayed by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp. The Don’t Look Up actor will play the a younger version of the protagonist in a film that will trace his journey to becoming the famed confectioner.
The expectations for the film are high, especially with Johnny Depp having set the benchmark for the character through his entertaining and eccentric performance in Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Chalamet though, revealed in an interview with BBC, that his version of the young Willy Wonka will be completely different in tonality.
“This isn’t the Willy Wonka with a couple of screws loose, that we see in the Gene Wilder and the other version. This is a young, ambitious, hopeful, won’t-take-no for an answer, sprightly, light Willy.”
While the actor spoke of the pressure to live up to a popular character that audiences adored, he believed that this version of Willy Wonka will relate to audiences in a very different way than the previous portrayals.
Wonka will release worldwide on December 8th, 2023.
