• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Actor with dwarfism slams the new Wonka film for casting Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa

Home> Entertainment> Film

Updated 07:08 28 Jul 2023 GMT+1Published 22:49 26 Jul 2023 GMT+1

Actor with dwarfism slams the new Wonka film for casting Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa

George Coppen fears actors like him are 'being pushed out of the industry we love'.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

The new film about Willy Wonka is being harshly criticised before it's even been released.

The trailer for Wonka, which stars Timothée Chalamet as the enigmatic and eccentric owner of the legendary chocolate brand, dropped two weeks ago and everyone got pretty excited.

There has been a lot of hype leading up to the film considering it's a fresh take on the character who is beloved around the world.

Advert

However, one person was upset when they saw a different role in the teaser.

Hugh Grant has been cast as an Oompa Loompa in the upcoming flick and you get to see a brief interaction between him and Wonka in the trailer.

His character is based on a fictional being that is described as 20 inches tall, according to Warner Bros.

Advert

Grant's Oompa Loompa appears in a glass jar and Chalamet's Wonka asks whether he's the 'funny little man who’s been following me?'

The short, orange character replies: “I will have you know that I am a perfectly respectful size for an Oompa-Loompa.”

But an actor with dwarfism has hit out at the decision give Hugh Grant the role.

George Coppen told the BBC that the film should have cast performers like him.

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

Advert

"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.”

Coppen has appeared in projects like Willow, Artemis Fowl and The School for Good and Evil.

Warner Bros.

The BBC reports that the 26-year-old is following in the footsteps of his father, Willie Coppen, who got into acting when he saw a casting call for actors to play Ewoks in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Advert

George has also hit out at the way Grant's body has been altered in Wonka.

"They've enlarged his head so his head looks bigger. [I thought] what the hell have you done to him?" George said to the BBC.

In the past film iterations of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Oompa Loompas have been played by actors with dwarfism.

George wants to know what has suddenly changed with this latest one.

Wonka is a prequel to Dahl's legendary story and reveals how the iconic chocolate maker came to be.

Advert

The film is due to be released on December 13 this year.

LADbible has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment.

Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros.

Topics: TV and Film

Stewart Perrie
Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Senior Journalist at LADbible. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign. He is in charge of the LADbible Australia editorial content and social presence.

X

@stewartperrie

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
9 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • Amy Sussman/Getty Images
    3 hours ago

    People left in shock after Stephen Graham’s reveals ethnicity during powerful Emmys speech

    The actor opened up about his heritage after winning an award for his work on Adolescence

    Entertainment
  • BBC
    9 hours ago

    Forget swiping – this brand-new dating show dumps couples on a beach to see if love can thrive

    When the honeymoon involves no phones, no mates and just one outfit, you know drama’s guaranteed

    Entertainment
  • David Livingston/Getty Images
    9 hours ago

    Father-of-12 Nick Cannon reveals why he had so many children

    The dad admitted that he was 'careless' after his divorce from Mariah Carey and ended up having numerous kids

    Entertainment
  • ITV
    10 hours ago

    1% Club fans claim final round question is way too easy and could be solved in '2 seconds'

    The answer was right in front of them, but neither contestant got it right

    Entertainment
  • Paris Jackson slams actor for claiming she gave him advice on biopic about her famous dad
  • Napoleon Dynamite actor had unique clause added to contract after only being paid $1,000 for film that made $46m
  • Margaret Qualley reveals secret behind her sex scene with Aubrey Plaza in new film
  • Mark Ruffalo reveals the one thing he learned about FBI agents while working with them for new film role