Hugh Grant faces backlash as Netflix star slams his controversial new movie role
Hugh Grant's appearance in the new 'Wonka' movie has caused controversy online, with one critic calling out the movie for casting the British actor as an Oompa Loompa.
The upcoming film, which is directed by Paddington's Paul King, focuses on the early life of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory's iconic Willy Wonky (Timothée Chalamet) and how he came to meet the funny orange creatures.
The Roald Dahl-inspired prequel also stars Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Coleman, Keegan Michael-Key, Paterson Joseph and Matt Lucas.
The official trailer for Wonka was released earlier this month, much to the excitement of fans of the world-famous 1964 children's book.
Hugh Grant's casting in Wonka has been criticized (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Lacoste)
Hugh Grant's appearance as Oompa Loompa in Willy Wonka movie sparks controversy (Warner Bros)In the preview for the fantasy movie, which hits cinemas in December, Wonka can be shown on a mission to set up his chocolate factory in the face of multiple adversities and setbacks. The teaser ends with the young entrepreneur proclaiming, "Mark my words, this is going to be the greatest chocolate shop the world has ever seen" before the scene switches to him meeting an Oompa Loompa, played by Hugh Grant, for the first time.
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In the amusing clip, the 62-year-old actor is painted orange and wearing a green wig to reflect the eccentric look of the factory's fictional workers. "So you're the funny little man who's been following me," Wonka says accusingly, to which Grant's character replies, "I will have you know that I am a perfectly respectable size for an Oompa Loompa."
When Wonka asks him to repeat his name, the Oompa Loompa says, "Allow me to refresh your memory," and begins playing a flute and dancing inside his glass jar.
An actor with dwarfism has since taken to Instagram and the media to criticise the casting of the Love Actually star.
George Coppen, best known starring in Netflix's The School for Good and Evil, argues that Grant playing an Oompah Loompa, a role which had previously been given to dwarfs, only creates less opportunities for people with the condition to act.
Wonka will be released in December (Warner Bros.)"A lot of actors [with dwarfism] feel like we are being pushed out of the industry we love," the English comedian told the BBC. "A lot of people, myself included, argue that dwarfs should be offered everyday roles in dramas and soaps, but we aren’t getting offered those roles. One door is being closed but they have forgotten to open the next one."
In 1971’s Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory and 2005’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, the Oompa Loompa characters were all played by actors with dwarfism. Coppen also called out the casting of Grant on Instagram, writing, "In the previous two films all the oompa loompas have been played by dwarves but this time round they have decided to take work away from us."
The actor added that while he is unaware if "Hugh is the only one [Oompa Loompa] in the film" or if "there's more who are playing them", he doesn't believe the Notting Hill star should have landed the role at all.
"Some people will say that roles like this are demeaning and we should be playing more "normal" roles which is completely true but we aren't getting offered those roles so they have kind of shut one door for us without opening the other one," Coppen continued.
"So we are stuck in the middle unable to do anything, Peter Dinklage has been one of the biggest voices for us not to get roles like this but he does not speak for all of us. Unlike most of us he's in a position where he can afford to turn down work. People forget that we do get a say in the work we do, before being put forward for any job I get asked if I want to do it and I've been offered jobs in the past that I'm not a fan of so said no but at least give us that option instead of just shutting us out."
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