The first trailer for the musical Wonka has got fans excited to see step into the whimsical chocolatier’s shoes but stole the show.
at the end of the trailer in the familiar green wig and orange skin tone of Wonka’s factory workers, the Oompa Loompas.
For this prequel story, it appears the Oompa Loompas are much smaller in 2023’s than either Gene Wilder’s or ’s iterations.
Shrunken down to Hugh claims he is a ‘respectable’ size for his people as he begins to play a little tune and dance.
Fans have had a positive response to the 62-year-old taking on the role, saying the actor is in his carefree era taking on fun film roles.
However, took shots at the actor, asking why he would ‘take work from a dwarf actor’.
Sharing the Piers tweeted: ‘As the @dailystar leads on my @PiersUncensored interview with @DylanPostl. I ask Hugh ‘Halo’ Grant @HackedOffHugh again: why did you take work from a dwarf actor?
‘I know you’re very concerned with ethical behaviour, so please answer the question.’
Piers’s Uncensored column featured an interview with actor Dylan Postl, in which the 37-year-old said the roles were being ‘taken away’ from the dwarf community.
‘So now we’re not only using CGI and spending extra money and funding for these movies when we could just cast dwarves in that role,’ he said.
He continued: ‘These roles — roles in Hollywood in general — are very hard for people of my community to get, besides the elf and the leprechaun. So why are they being taken from my community?’
Dylan previously spoke out against the decision by Disney to from the upcoming live-action Snow White.
He was at odds with on the matter who last year pushed for the studio to not portray dwarves as cave dwellers in .
The portrayal of the Oompa Loompas has long been debated as the origins of the characters are far less fantastical than many realise.
In Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Oompa Loompas are described as ‘African pygmies’ who had been enslaved by Wonka to work for cocoa beans at his factory.
Nine years later, Dahl bowed to public pressure and edited his novel to remove mentions of the Oompa Loompas race, although they remained ‘tiny men’ although not specifically people with dwarfism.
When this was adapted into the 1971 film they became the orange and green men we think of today, which Hugh’s character appears to reference.
Tim Burton decided to remove this fantastical orange element in his Oompa Loompas, with 4ft 4in actor Deep Roy playing cloned versions.
The Oompa Loompas have historically been played by dwarf actors, although some viewers responded to Piers arguing that the issue was more complex.
Some said it was up to the creators to provide a larger variety of roles for people with dwarfism, rather than blaming actors for being cast.
One said: ‘C’mon Piers, leave Hugh alone! You can’t blame the actor. Have a go at the film companies, the casting directors, the producers.
‘Ultimately it’s their decision- not Hugh Grant’s fault.’
Metro has reached out to Hugh Grant’s reps for comment.
