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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,Wonkadirector Paul King was completely convinced that he was the perfect choice for the part. The filmmaker recalled watching old YouTube videos of theDunestar in which he was seen singing and dancing with ease, thereby assuring King that he was his Willy Wonka.
Also Read:Insider Hints Timothee Chalamet’s ‘Wonka’ Could Decimate Aquaman 2 as WB Prepares to Release Them on Same Week: “Heard nothing but good things”
WonkaDirector Cast Timothée Chalamet After Seeing His Old Performance Videos
Timothée Chalametis all set to take on one of fiction’s famous characters, Willy Wonka. While Gene Wilder andJohnny Deppportrayed 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, theCall Me By Your Nameactor’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 toRolling Stoneand 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.
Also Read:“I don’t want to profit from my work on the film”: Timothée Chalamet Donated His Entire Salary From Woody Allen Movie in a Praise Worthy Move
Timothée Chalamet Did Not Want To DoWonkaFor This Reason
With am impressive repertoire of films already, Timothée Chalamet has proved that he is one of Hollywood’s rising stars. His latest releaseWonkawhich 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. TheDunestar 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 withTotal 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 titledHat Full Of Dreams. The infectious and cleverly-written song convinced the actor that the film and the character will be completely unique.
Also Read:Courteney Cox Wants Timothée Chalamet to be This FRIENDS Character in Reboot Years Before His Fame From Dune and Willy Wonka
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
