Hugh Grant’s Crankiest Moments on ‘Wonka’ Promotion Tour, Ranked
If any publicity is good publicity, the producers of Wonka have to be thrilled with Hugh Grant’s grumpy ass right now. He’s been everywhere griping about his Oompa Loompa role in ‘Wonka’ starring Timothée Chalamet. Why so cranky? Grant gives several reasons for the chocolate stick up his butt, which we rank below from least grouchy to full-on, candy-colored contempt.
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A Generation of Children Will Be Scarred
In an era of #metoo and intimacy coordinators, you’d think movie directors wouldn’t be emailing nudes to cast members. But there was Wonka director Paul King sending Oompa Loompa nudes to Grant, who didn’t appreciate the gesture. “Paul, quite early on in the editing process, sent me a mock-up of the Oompa Loompa stark naked,” he told PEOPLE. “And my little children were a little alarmed at that.”
They had reason to be. "It was one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen in my life," King said. “If it ever leaks out, a generation of children will be scarred.”
Old and Fat and Ugly
Anyone interested in seeing Wonka because they’re fans of Grant’s romcom heyday? They’re likely to be disappointed in 2023 Grant. "I got too old and fat and ugly to do romantic comedies, obviously."
To Be Honest, I Didn’t Like Timothée Chalamet
Grant was plugging Wonka on The Tonight Show last night when an audience member raised a hand to ask a question.
“You’ve worked with some incredible actors throughout your career. I mean some really incredible actors,” said the “fan” who looked suspiciously like Chalamet in a fake mustache. “'I was just curious where does Timothée Chalamet rank on that list?”
“Well, I’m assuming this isn’t part of the show that’s going to be broadcast so I’ll tell you the truth. To be honest, I didn’t like him. None of us did. I don’t know what it is. There’s something just weird about that whole French ‘Timothée Chalamet,’” Grant joked.
He was joking. Wasn’t he?
My Children Are No Fun at All
Grant talked with PEOPLE before the Wonka premiere about chilling in the U.K. with family. “Well, I live here and I have no fun at all. I’m swamped in children, and I’m too old for them,” he joked.
He was joking. Wasn’t he?
The Angriest Dance
Much of Grant’s Oompa Loompa work was done with CGI. When it came to the Oompa Loompa dance, however, Grant did the honors and expressed all his frustrations through the magic of dance. “No animator could dance that angrily,” director King told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s the angriest dancing in film history.”
‘I Couldn’t Have Hated The Whole Thing More’
There was a lot of special-effects work involved in creating Grant’s character and he despised every minute of it, calling a camera rig that he had to wear on his head “a crown of thorns.” “I made a big fuss about it,” Grant said at a press conference promoting the film. “I couldn’t have hated the whole thing more.” But surely all that trouble was worth it in the end, right? “Not really,” he told the press.
So why bother making Wonka at all? “I slightly hate (making films),” he said. “But I have lots of children and need money.”
