Timothée Chalamet just answered fans’ burning question about his portrayal of the famed eccentric chocolatier in Wonka. The Call Me By Your Name star led the musical fantasy film adapted from Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s novel as the younger version of Willy Wonka.
So far, two actors have notably played the character: Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp. Because of this, viewers could not help but ask if Chalamet ever sought inspiration from these actors.
Timothée Chalamet Talks About The Challenges In Filming Wonka
During his interview with E! News, Timothée Chalamet admitted he did not ask Johnny Depp for advice on how to seamlessly portray Willy Wonka. He stated:
“No, and I love that version. [That] version came out when I was about 10 or 11 years old, and I just thought it was very bold. The Gene Wilder version I saw first technically, because my mom—that’s the one I grew up on.”
Meanwhile, the Pirates of the Caribbean star shared his different approach to Tim Burton’s film. He said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show via E! News:
“Certain ingredients you can add to these characters—Willy Wonka, for example, I imagined what George Bush would be like incredibly stoned. And thus was born my version of Willy Wonka.”
Chalamet spoke with Vanity Fair and confessed that Wonka has been the most demanding movie he has ever made. He noted that the performing scenes were tough:
“This was the most physically challenging project I’ve ever done. I can’t say the singing and dancing comes easy. I’ve been around musical theater my whole life and danced a little bit in high school, but this was on a different level. It’s different doing it on film.”
The Dune star enumerated the strenuous activities he has undergone in preparation for the role. He further added:
“You’ve got to keep being in the center of the frame while dancing, you’ve got to rehearse for months, you’ve got to be on for every take—take 12 and all the other takes—and dance with professional dancers, who are icing their ankles. That’s how serious they were taking it. So it was a big challenge.”
He mentioned his favorite version of Willy Wonka, and revealed that his own adaptation has a slightly different meaning:
“Gene Wilder’s version is the best, as it should be, and the song is sort of the centerpiece of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. But my version of the song is sort of the send-off in our movie. The song is the same, but the messaging is a little different.”
Directed by Paul King and distributed by Warner Bros, Wonka premiered in the UK last December 8. As of this writing, it has an 83 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Timothée Chalamet Hopes To Spread Happiness In Wonka
With all the chaos and sadness in the world, Timothée Chalamet hopes that fans will find solace and hope in Wonka. He said in the same interview with Vanity Fair:
“The movie is heartfelt and sincere. These are the kind of movies that we need now, and it will leave a smile on your face. I’m living my dreams today. I’m very grateful. My dream is to continue to work and for good health for my family.”
The Little Women actor’s vocal prowess will be on full exhibition in Wonka, so make sure to catch the origin story of the iconic chocolatier in theaters worldwide this December 15.
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