Actor with dwarfism 'disappointed' by casting of Hugh Grant for Wonka Oompa-Loompa role
An actor with dwarfism has criticised the makers of the new Wonka film for casting Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa.
George Coppen, from Derby, has told ITV News Central there are relatively few parts that actors with dwarfism can play and the creators of the film should have had more consideration.
He says there are plenty of actors who could have played the part and is disappointed it wasn't offered to someone like him.
Mr Coppen said: "We need these big roles to make ourselves the big name and a film like this would be brilliant.
"Like myself, I would jump at the chance to play an Oompa Loompa because it's one of cinema's most well-known characters, even if you've never seen any of the films or read the book you've heard of Oompa Loompas."
'We need these big roles to make ourselves the big name'
"It's one of those quintessential characters that people know", he adds.
The 26-year-old followed in the footsteps of his father by becoming an actor.
His father, Willie Coppen, started his acting journey with Star Wars when the makers of Return of the Jedi were looking for people to play Ewoks.
He later appeared in films including Willow and The NeverEnding Story.
Both Willie and his son, George, appeared in the 2022 Disney remake of Willow and George is also known for his role in The School for Good and Evil.
The new Wonka film is the third film to be made based on Roald Dahl's 1964 book 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.
In the two previous films, Mel Stuart's Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in 1971 and Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005, Oompa-Loompas were played by actors with dwarfism.
ITV News Central has contacted Warner Brothers, and Hugh Grant's representative, for a comment but they are yet to respond.
The Midlands inspiration in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory novel was written by Roald Dahl in 1964.
Dahl attended Repton boarding school in South Derbyshire in the early 1930s and it's believed his time here acted as inspiration for his book.
During this time at the school Dahl and his schoolmates would taste test chocolate sent to the school by nearby chocolate makers, Cadbury.
During this time Cadbury - based in Bournville in the West Midlands - and Rowntree's were two of the largest chocolate producers in England and it's thought they would attempt to steal recipes and secrets from one another, perhaps acting as inspiration for Wonka's rival 'Slugworth' in Dahl's book.