Wonka cast: Full list of characters in Timothée Chalamet movie
Wonka leading actor Timothée Chalamet is joined by the likes of Sally Hawkins, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson and more.
A new Willy Wonka prequel has landed in cinemas – and writer-director Paul King has assembled an incredible cast, with Timothée Chalamet leading the way, and Hugh Grant starring as an Oompa-Loompa.
Speaking about where the idea for casting Grant in Wonka came from and when it first appealed to him, King told RadioTimes.com: "That was pretty early. I mean, obviously, the Oompa-Loompas don't have any dialogue in the book, really, and the films, they've sort of got very little.
"But in the book they do have these very, very long songs – or they're presented as songs, they're poems.
"But they're so funny, and I was reading them sort of trying to get a voice in my head, and they're so sort of biting and sarcastic and scornful and incredibly funny, and Hugh's voice just kept coming towards me."
He continued: "And it probably wasn't a huge leap from there to go, 'What would Hugh look like 18 inches high with orange skin and bright green hair?' And that seemed like a pretty funny thing that I'd like to see."
The musical fantasy film is also replete with a brilliant supporting cast, which features Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Tom Davis, Keegan-Michael Key and more.
But who else stars in Wonka and who do they play? Read on to find out the full confirmed cast list.
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Wonka 2023 cast: Full list of characters in Timothée Chalamet movie
The full cast list of Wonka is as follows:
- Timothée Chalamet as Young Willy Wonka
- Calah Lane as Noodle
- Hugh Grant as Lofty
- Paterson Joseph as Arthur Slugworth
- Olivia Colman as Mrs Scrubbit
- Tom Davis as Bleacher
- Keegan-Michael Key as The Chief of Police
- Mathew Baynton as Fickelgruber
- Matt Lucas as Prodnose
- Sally Hawkins as Willy's Mother
- Rowan Atkinson as Father Julius
- Ellie White as Gwennie (the Mistress of the Keys)
- Jim Carter as Abacus Crunch
- Simon Farnaby as Bash
- Natasha Rothwell as Piper Benz
- Rich Fulcher as Larry Chucklesworth
- Tracy Ifeachor as Dorothy Smith
- Rufus Jones as Jenkins
- Rakhee Thakrar as Lottie Bell
- Colin O’Brien as Young Willy Wonka
- Freya Parker as Miss Bon Bon
- Murray McArthur as Ship’s Captain
- Justin Edwards as a green-skinned customer
- Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Officer Affable
- Jag Patel as Dancer
Read on for more details about where you’ve seen the actors before as well as what characters they’re playing.
Timothée Chalamet plays Willy Wonka
Who is Willy Wonka? Willy Wonka is the protagonist of Wonka, and Timothée Chalamet stars as the titular character. It’s officially a prequel to the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Chalamet’s character is the young version of Gene Wilder’s character. In this film, we see his adventures before the opening of his infamous chocolate factory.
What else has Timothée Chalamet been in? Chalamet is perhaps most well-known for his leading role performance as Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 adaptation of Dune. You’ll also recognise him from performances in The French Dispatch, Little Women, The King, Bones and All, A Rainy Day in New York, Beautiful Boy, Lady Bird, Call Me By Your Name, and more.
He has also been nominated for various awards, including Best Actor for Call Me By Your Name at the Academy Awards.
Olivia Colman as Mrs Scrubbit
Who is Mrs Scrubbit? A nasty Scrooge-like figure who Noodle works for. She and Bleacher offer Wonka a room at their hotel at the beginning of the film, only to trap him with a binding contract that forces him to work for them.
Speaking about what drew her to the film, Colman exclusively told RadioTimes.com: "I wanted to work with [director] Paul King. I loved what he'd done with both Paddingtons, and I just think he's a lovely person."
"And it's so nice when you get on set and go, 'Hooray! He genuinely is as lovely as I'd hoped.' And very collaborative and kind and funny, and the first one to laugh at anything you do on set, which is a lovely feeling. And Wonka, I grew up with it. So I was really excited. And to pay a [Roald] Dahl baddie!"
What else has Olivia Colman been in? Colman has been in just about everything worth watching. From her early days in TV comedies Peep Show, Green Wing and That Mitchell and Webb Look, she’s moved on to become an Academy Award winner thanks to her performance as Queen Anne in 2018’s The Favourite.
Tom Davis as Bleacher
Who is Bleacher? The co-owner of the Inn with Mrs. Scrubbit.
Speaking about what drew him to the role, Davis told RadioTimes.com: "For me, working with Paul King again, having done Paddington [2] with him. And the journey of Paddington, going from what was I think one line to having this character arc, that was amazing to be a part of. So to get a call and say, 'This is his next project' and him and Simon [Farnaby] had written a part for me...
"And honestly, I’m like, 'OK, if it's a line I'll do it, whatever you want Paul', because I think Paul is just a generational talent. And he's like, 'It's Timothée Chalamet and all your stuff will be with Olivia'. I was like, 'Wow!' It's an amazing thing. Just a real pinch me moment, very humbling and an incredible thing."
What else has Tom Davis been in? The actor and comedian is known for helping to create the semi-improvised TV series Murder in Successville. Wonka isn't Davis's first time working with director Paul King as he previously starred as T-Bone in Paddington 2. Other TV credits include The Curse, King Gary and Romesh and Tom Take Takeshi's Castle.
Rowan Atkinson as Father Julius
Who is Father Julius? Father Julius is the local priest.
What else has Rowan Atkinson been in? Mr Bean, Blackadder, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Not the Nine O’Clock News, Johnny English, The Thin Blue Line, Love Actually, Man vs Bee, Rat Race, Scooby-Doo. His face is about as recognisable as they come.
Paterson Joseph as Arthur Slugworth
Who is Arthur Slugworth? Arthur Slugworth is a major rival in the chocolate and confectionary world of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
What else has Paterson Joseph been in? Perhaps most well-known for his performance as Alan Johnson in Peep Show, Paterson Joseph is something of a mainstay in British TV. Most recently, you will have seen him in Inside No. 9, Vigil, and Timeless.
Hugh Grant as Lofty
Who is Lofty? Lofty is the original Oompa-Loompa, who came from a faraway land to aid Willy Wonka on his chocolate-making endeavours.
What else has Hugh Grant been in? What hasn’t Hugh Grant been in? He shot to fame following his appearance in 1994’s Four Weddings and a Funeral - which earned him a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and has been a mainstay of romantic comedies ever since, including Notting Hill.
You will have seen Grant in About a Boy, Love Actually, Glass Onion, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Paddington 2, The Gentlemen, A Very English Scandal, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Sense and Sensibility, Maurice, and much, much more.
Sally Hawkins as Willy’s Mother
Who is Willy’s Mother? Sally Hawkins is playing Willy Wonka’s mother in Wonka. She’s sure to play a large role in shaping Chalamet’s character throughout the film.
What else has Sally Hawkins been in? Sally Hawkins is another in the cast who has made the leap across from Paul King’s work on the Paddington movies. She’s best known for her appearances in The Shape of Water, for which she was Academy Award-nominated for Best Actress, Made in Dagenham, and Happy-Go-Lucky.
You may well have seen her in Godzilla, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Maudie, The Phantom of the Open, The Lost King, A Boy Called Christmas, and more.
Mathew Baynton as Fickelgruber
Who is Fickelgruber? Fickelgruber is another rival of Willy Wonka.
What else has Mathew Baynton been in? One of the creative forces behind Ghosts, The Wrong Mans, Horrible Histories, and Yonderland, Mathew Baynton has appeared in them all, too. You’ve likely also seen him in Gavin & Stacey, Peep Show, Quacks, Bill, Horne & Corden, and more.
Matt Lucas as Prodnose
Who is Prodnose? Prodnose is another rival of Willy Wonka.
What else has Matt Lucas been in? Most famous for co-writing and starring alongside David Walliams in Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, Matt Lucas has appeared in a load of TV shows and films over the years including Fantasy Football League, The Great British Bake Off, and Shooting Stars to name a few.
Keegan-Michael Key as The Chief of Police
Who is The Chief of Police? A character who is easily corrupted by the Chocolate Cartel because of his sweet tooth. He gains a large amount of weight over the course of the film after doing Slugworth's dirty work in exchange for chocolate.
What else has Keegan-Michael Key been in? Perhaps most well-known for appearing in the sketch show Key and Peele, you may have seen Keegan-Michael Key in Schmigadoon!, Reboot, and The Bubble. He has also performed as a voice actor in various roles, including as Toad in the Super Mario Bros Movie.
Who else is in the cast of Wonka?
In addition to the ensemble above you'll also spot Ellie White (Stath Lets Flats), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Simon Farnaby (Ghosts), Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus), Rich Fulcher (The Mighty Boosh), Tracy Ifeachor (DC's Legends of Tomorrow), Rufus Jones (W1A), Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education), Cala Lane (This is Us), Colin O'Brien (Dear Edward), Freya Parker (Miss Bon Bon here, Jurassic World Dominion), Justin Edwards (The Thick of It) and more.
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Wonka is out now in cinemas. In the meantime, if you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news.
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