Hugh Grant Hated Playing Wonka's Oompa-Loompa For A Good Reason
"Wonka" has earned mostly positive reviews from critics. Looper's own Reuben Baron gave the film high marks, writing, "[Director Paul] King has once again demonstrated his ability to exceed expectations with 'Wonka,' using the framework of a theoretically pointless prequel to deliver a candy-coated delight to viewers of all ages." However, someone who has criticisms is one of the film's stars — Hugh Grant.
Grant plays Lofty, a rather grumpy Oompa-Loompa, and that demeanor fits the experience he had on set. He spoke with Metro about his time filming "Wonka" and how he detested the motion capture process, "It was like a crown of thorns, very uncomfortable." He discussed being unsure if he should act with his body since much of his performance was replaced in post-production. Grant isn't keen on the increasing digitization of filmmaking, adding, "It's very confusing, with CGI now, you can't tell what's going on."
It may be odd for some to hear an actor trash-talk a movie they're trying to promote. That might be why Metro asked Grant if using motion capture was worth it to see the finished film, to which he responded, "Not really."
Hugh Grant isn't the only actor who's criticized Wonka's Oompa-Loompa
Much has already been said of Hugh Grant being cast as a diminutive Oompa-Loompa. Around the time the first "Wonka" trailer was released, George Coppen, an actor with dwarfism, spoke to BBC about how difficult it is for performers like him to get work. He said, "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."
The crux of the argument is that it's difficult for actors with dwarfism to get any roles. Therefore, when a character is specifically meant to be short, it should ideally go to someone who embodies that instead of an actor using motion capture. Plus, 1971's "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and 2005's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" used actors with dwarfism to play the Oompa-Loompas, making the upcoming "Wonka" an outlier.
"Wonka" director Paul King has spoken about casting Hugh Grant in the role, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "I was really just thinking about that character; somebody who could be a real s***, and then — ah! Hugh! Because he's the funniest, most sarcastic s*** I've ever met." If King had cast an actor with dwarfism, he could've gotten marks for better representation, and Grant could've avoided his motion capture suit. It would've been a win-win for everyone.