Hugh Grant casting as Oompa Loompa in new Wonka film criticised by actor with dwarfism

27 July 2023, 10:49 | Updated: 27 July 2023, 15:21

Wonka filmmakers have been criticised by an actor with dwarfism for casting Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa.

George Coppen, who is an actor with dwarfism, said people with his condition had limited access to roles.

The previous two films based on Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory featured actors with dwarfism in the role.

But in the latest Wonka trailer, Hugh Grant is seen as an Oompa Loompa with orange skin and green hair - much like the original film - trapped inside a glass jar. The fictional character is approximately 20 inches tall.

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WONKA | Official Trailer

Mr Coppen said he first started thinking about the issue when James Nesbitt appeared as the dwarf Bofur in The Hobbit.

"A lot of actors [with dwarfism] feel like we are being pushed out of the industry we love," he 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."

Speaking of Hugh Grant's appearance in the trailer, he said: "They’ve enlarged his head so his head looks bigger. [I thought] what the hell have you done to him?"

Wonka will explore the background of the iconic character before he opened his chocolate factory.

In the original 1971 film, the Oompa Loompas were played by actors with dwarfism with orange skin and green wigs.

In the 2005 adaptation of Dahl's novel, one actor with dwarfism - Deep Roy - played all of the Oompa Loompas but without the orange skin and green wig.

It comes after Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage slammed Disney over its live action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, describing it as a "backward story".

"They were very proud to cast a Latino actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," he said on the WTF podcast.

"Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me.

"You’re progressive in one way but you’re still making that f------ backward story of seven dwarves living in the cave."

Mr Dinklage added: "They were so proud of that, and all love and respect to the actress and the people who thought they were doing the right thing, but I’m just like, ‘what are you doing?’"

At the time, Disney said in a statement: "To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community.

"We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period."