Dwarf actor slams ‘Wonka’ for choosing Hugh Grant as Oompa-Loompa.
A British actor born with dwarfism criticizes the casting of Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa in the upcoming “Wonka” film
The live-action-the-little-mermaid-star-halle-bailey-responds-to-race-swap-criticisms/” title=”Disney’s Live-action The Little Mermaid Star Halle Bailey Responds To Race-Swap Criticisms”>upcoming live-action remake of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka story, titled “Wonka,” has sparked controversy with its choice of actor to portray an Oompa-Loompa. A British actor born with dwarfism has expressed his dissatisfaction with Hollywood’s decision to cast Hugh Grant in the role.
The film will delve into the early life of Willy Wonka, the fictional chocolatier, as he establishes his renowned candy brand and begins constructing his extraordinary chocolate factory. This narrative will introduce Wonka’s first encounter with the Oompa-Loompas, who will later become his magical factory workers.
The Oompa-Loompa characters in the new film draw inspiration from the beloved 1971 adaptation of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” where Gene Wilder portrayed Willy Wonka. In that film, the Oompa-Loompas were depicted as tiny individuals with curly green bouffant hairstyles and orange skin. The same design can be seen in the trailer for the upcoming production set to hit theaters in December.
However, unlike the original 1971 version and the 2005 remake, the new film relies on Hollywood special effects to bring the Oompa-Loompas to life. Actor Hugh Grant has been digitally shrunk down to Oompa-Loompa size using computer effects.
This use of computer effects has drawn criticism from George Coppen, an actor born with dwarfism. Coppen has strongly condemned the film, accusing Hollywood of taking away opportunities from little people in the industry.
“Many actors with dwarfism feel like we are being marginalized in the industry we love,” Coppen expressed in an interview with the BBC. “We argue that dwarfs should be offered a range of roles in dramas and soaps, but those opportunities are not being presented to us.”
Coppen further lamented that even the roles traditionally offered to actors with dwarfism are now dwindling as Hollywood attempts to avoid insensitivity towards little people.
As the son of Willie Coppen, a well-known actor who appeared in films such as the “Star Wars” franchise, ”The NeverEnding Story,” and the original “Willow” film, George Coppen has pursued acting as a tribute to his father. Both father and son recently appeared together in the “Willow” streaming series, and George also portrayed Sweet Cupid in last year’s “The School for Good and Evil.”
However, Coppen remains deeply dissatisfied with the portrayal of the Oompa-Loompas in the new “Wonka” film, particularly Hugh Grant’s interpretation. He expressed his disappointment, stating, “They’ve enlarged his head so his head looks bigger. [I thought,] What the hell have you done to him?”
The official trailer for the film showcases Grant’s version of the Oompa-Loompas towards the end.
Continued Controversy
“Wonka” is not the only film this year to face criticism for its exclusion of little people. In January, actor Peter Dinklage preemptively criticized Disney’s planned remake of “Snow White,” calling it a “f***ing backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.” As a result, Disney made significant changes to the story and recast all the dwarf roles, except one, with full-sized actors.
However, not all actors with dwarfism share Dinklage’s perspective. Little person actor Dylan Postl expressed his anger towards Disney, claiming that the exclusion of dwarfs from the film is an example of roles being “taken away because of ‘progression.'” He firmly stated, “It’s not right!”
“These are roles made for actors of my stature… I can’t go for the Harrison Ford or the George Clooney roles.”
Dylan Postl believes that the casting of live-action “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” goes against progressiveness.@DylanPostl | @piersmorgan | @TalkTV | #PMU pic.twitter.com/yvsgnw2fPl
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) July 17, 2023
As of now, neither Hugh Grant nor Warner Bros has responded to the criticisms surrounding “Wonka.”
Source: The Western Journal
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