Timothée Chalamet's Wonka co-star Keegan-Michael Key said the wunderkind is a force to be reckoned with, praising his acting as Willy Wonka in the upcoming musical and hopefully allaying some fears regarding the whole project.
When Warner Bros. announced they were going to do a musical prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (previously adapted in 1971 as a musical with Gene Wilder and a 2005 Tim Burton/Johnny Depp NuGoth romp) titled Wonka, people shook their heads and said, “Alright. I guess so.” When they cast newly minted megastar Chalamet in the title role, it made fans of the books and movies sit up.
If what Key has to say to The Hollywood Reporter is anything to go by, Chalamet is an Oompa Loompa Doompety Delight as the titular chocolatier, evincing a hopefulness in the face of his struggles during the course of Wonka. Per Key during a press tour for Hulu's Reboot sitcom, “This kid, you know, he drips charisma and wonderful confidence. He’s just a really delicious artist.” Wordplay involving taste aside, it’s good to give fans something to latch onto, a note that the project seems to be going in the right direction.
When Warner Bros. announced Chalamet would take the lead role in Wonka, fans were nonplussed. Nobody disputed his acting chops, just the whimsicality such a role would require, something hitherto unknown in Chalamet's repertoire. There were some hints the project might be fun, especially with Paddington and Paddington 2 director Paul King directing Wonka. Plus, the cast seemed alright, containing a Who’s Who of colorful actors from all across the big and smalls screens such as Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), the previously-mentioned Key, Matt Lucas (The Great British Bake Off), Olivia Colman (The Crown) and Jim Carter (Downton Abbey).
Chalamet did a tremendous turn in the controversial Call Me By Your Name (opposite the now-disgraced Armie Hammer) and led the sci-fi spectacular Dune as Paul Atreides (a role previously played by Kyle MacLachlan). Though very few people saw him being able to step into Wilder's shoes (perhaps Depp's cheekbones) when the studio further informed audiences that the new Wonka would also be a musical of all things, his co-stars say differently. If Chalamet's turn in Wonka is truly dripping with charisma and he does half as much for chocolate as he did for peaches, fans have nothing to fear whatsoever.
Wonka dances into theaters on December 15, 2023.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter