Hugh Grant was cast in ‘Wonka’ because he is the ‘funniest, most sarcastic s**t’ director Paul King had ever encountered.
The 62-year-old actor portrays a small green-haired Oompa Loompa in the forthcoming movie, which explores the narrative as to how Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Willy Wonka became a confectionery mogul.
Filmmaker King agreed that Roald Dahl’s original novels – which featured contained sequel… didn’t have much conversation about the little employees, but their songs were ‘incredibly snarky and critical and cruel’.
This naturally led him to feel that his Paddington 2 star was appropriate for the job.
Speaking at the premiere of the trailer in London, King quipped: ‘So I was really just thinking about that character; somebody who could be a real s**t, and then — ah! Hugh!
‘Because he’s the funniest, most sarcastic s**t I’ve ever met.’
Grant previously wowed fans in his performance as egotistical failed actor and villain Phoenix Buchanan in the Paddington sequel, which was written and directed by King?
He was nominated for a Bafta for best supporting actor in the role and has also acted in other comic and irreverent parts in various recent movies like Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves and a delightful cameo in Glass Onion, the Knives Out sequel.
When the teaser debuted on Tuesday night, it was very much Grant’s performance as an Oompa Loompa – barely visible right at the end – that truly drew fans’ attention.
‘Roles I never thought I’d see Hugh Grant playing. The man’s career path has become fascinating recently,’ observed one fan, while another added: ‘Hugh Grant’s silly little guy phase continues to deliver.’
Co-star Timothée Chalamet even got in on the action (and adoration), tweeting in all-caps: ‘HUGHMPA LOOMPA DOOPATY GRANT.’
Chalamet plays the lead character in the film and King described the Call Me By Your Name star as the ‘most amazing performer of his generation’.
‘It was a very short list of people who could play Willy Wonka, and really, it was him,’ the 44-year-old revealed at the event, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
‘I really do think he’s the most incredible actor of his generation, because he’s got this incredible ability to dive very deep into his own personal emotions and convey things with the turn of an eye — he’s very, very controlled, very smart and incredibly emotionally intuitive.’
Noting that the 27-year-old actor has ‘some extraordinarily big shoes’ to fill with the role, the director is confident Chalamet can ‘more than live up to’ the previous versions of Wonka played by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp.
He added: ‘I think he manages to bring that sort of mayhem and mischievousness but with a deep emotional grounding, which is really quite extraordinary.’
Wonka is set for release in UK cinemas on December 15, 2023.
