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What Do The Cast Of Gene Wilder's 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' Look Like Now?

What Do The Cast Of Gene Wilder's 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' Look Like Now?

Wow. What a difference 45 years makes.

Hamish Kilburn

Hamish Kilburn

Featured image credit: Paramount Pictures

Gene Wilder, who sadly passed away at the age of 83, is a well-known figure in British cinema and is arguably most famous for his role as Willy Wonka in the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) film.

However, while Wilder deservedly had celebrity status, it's possible that you may have forgotten his co-stars.

Well, 45 years after their star performance, here's what they look like now.

Charlie Bucket - Peter Ostrum

The main character grew up in poverty. His life, from anyone else's perspective, was pretty grim. However, there was hope. He was kind, sweet and didn't expect things from people. Like all unlikely heroes, he was handed an opportunity to change his and - more importantly - his family's life.

Peter Ostrum, who played the role of Charlie, did not stay in acting after the film was released. Instead, Ostrum, who is 58 and living in Glenfield, decided to focus on his education. He was awarded a doctorate from Ivy League university Cornell and is now a vet who specialises in treating cattle and horses.


Image credit: Paramount Pictures/Facebook/American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

Veruca Salt - Julie Dawn Cole

The character was a bit of a spoilt bitch and represented jealousy and greed. Julie Dawn Cole played the role superbly.

Now a mum-of-two, from Guildford, Cole continued her acting career and appeared in a number of British TV dramas, such as Emmerdale. However, she has now retrained to become a qualified Psychotherapist. Her Twitter bio reads, "I used to be a very bad egg."


Image credit: Paramount Pictures/Twitter @realverucasalt

Violet Beauregarde - Denise Nickerson

The character loves gum. In the 1971 film, she doesn't get on with Veruca Salt and calls her a nit when Salt begs her father for an Oompa Loompa. She hates sharing and is just a little bit of a brat.

Denise Nickerson played the original gum-chewing champ - as if that's even a thing - and she, like Ostrum, did not continue her career in acting after the film.

The 59-year-old instead went on to work as an accountant for an engineering plant. She revealed she actually almost lost her teeth due to her role in the film, suffering with 13 cavities caused by the high-sugar chewing gum she had to chew to get in character. My jaw aches just thinking about it.


Image credit: Paramount Pictures/Twitter @deniseviolet71

Mike Teavee - Paris Themmen

The character was famously known for his love of TV, which isn't too dissimilar to the actor who played the role. Paris Themmen went on to appear in numerous TV shows, including an episode of Star Trek: Voyager in 2000.

The actor, casting director and entrepreneur also founded a travel company. More than just sitting on his arse getting square eyes then.


Image credit: Paramount Pictures/Twitter @ParisThemmen

Augustus Gloop - Michael Bollner

Greedy, overweight and very lazy are just a few ways to describe this character who fell into the famous chocolate lake and got sucked up a pipe. He was the first of the invitees to be eliminated from Willy Wonka's chocolate factory for not following the rules.

Gloop was played by Michael Bollner. Bollner, who is now aged 57, ditched acting on his father's wishes to finish his education. He did a couple of other films in Germany, but he is now an accountant in Munich.


Image credit: Paramount Pictures/Facebook JoshGreenberg

That was a trip down memory lane.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Celebrity, TV and Film