The actor who plays Oompa-Loompa in the 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' prequel explains why he felt nervous to meet his younger co-star for the first time.
- Dec 9, 2023
AceShowbiz - Hugh Grant felt "nervous" to meet Timothee Chalamet. The 63-year-old actor stars alongside "Call Me by Your Name" star Timothee, 27, in the new film "Wonka" but admitted that he was apprehensive to work with his young co-star - who has already been nominated for an Oscar and received critical acclaim since starting his career seven years ago - because he thought things had gone "a bit too well" for him.
"I was a bit nervous of him. I don't like people who are too successful, and I thought his career had gone a bit too well!" he told People.
But the "Bridget Jones' Diary" actor revealed that things turned out well in the end between himself and Timothee, as he revealed that his co-star would often "gossip" with him about those around them on set. He said, "But I did warm to him, he gave me good gossip!"
However, the "Love Actually" star - who plays the Oompa-Loompa in the prequel to Roald Dahl's classic novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" - appears in CGI form and had to record all of his lines off set in a nearby tent. He said, "I couldn't be on the set because I'm too big. But I was in a tent just nearby with my helmet on with all the cameras. A highly complicated business!"
Despite not being face-to-face on set, director Paul King explained that he wanted "as much chemistry" as possible between the pair to form a comedy double act. He said, "They have a kind of banter through the movie and they're sort of slowly becoming a double act as the movie goes on, and that's something I think is very hard to do if you're never in the same room together."
