The talented cast of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory embarked on different paths after the 1971 movie, enjoying varying levels of success. The first big-screen adaptation of the 1964 children’s novel by Roald Dahl, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory has since become a cult classic. The movie tells the story of a poor young boy named Charlie Bucket who experiences the adventure of a lifetime after winning the chance to visit Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory alongside four other children.
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory received acclaim from critics and is regarded as one of the best musical films ever made. Despite being infamously disowned by Roald Dahl, the movie was able to bring the story of Willy Wonka and Charlie Bucket to life, thanks in large part to its noteworthy cast. These actors have long since grown up and have moved on with their lives since their appearance in this musical film, but Willy Wonky & The Chocolate Factory remains an important part of their legacies nonetheless.
8 Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka)
Arguably one of the best roles in Gene Wilder’s career, Willy Wonka was brought to life through a captivating performance by the actor. Wilder acted both on stage and in film beforehand, but it was his role in this film that solidified him as a skilled actor. His performance of the song “Pure Imagination” in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is regarded as one of the most recognizable songs in movie history; it has been referenced and covered by many performers in the years since the movie’s release.
After Willy Wonka, Wilder continued to perform in films such as Silver Streak and Blazing Saddles, and received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for the script he wrote for Young Frankenstein. He was also heavily involved in cancer awareness, following the death of his third wife, Gilda Radner in 1989. Retiring from acting in 2005, Wilder turned to writing, publishing six books before passing away in 2016 at the age of 83.
7 Jack Albertson (Grandpa Joe)
When Charlie finds the Golden Ticket, it’s his Grandpa Joe who accompanies him on the tour of the chocolate factory. Grandpa Joe tells Charlie all about the mysterious Wonka, and they experience the ins and outs of the chocolate factory together. The role was taken on by acclaimed actor Jack Albertson in one of the final roles of his career.
Prior to acting in this film, Albertson was already an acclaimed actor, having performed in movies such as The Subject Was Roses and Justine, and was one of a few actors to win a “Triple Crown of Acting” – a Tony, Emmy, and Oscar. In the years following this movie, Albertson starred in The Poseidon Adventure and Chico and the Man. His final acting credit was in the TV film, Terror of Alcatraz, before he died in 1981 at the age of 74.
6 Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket)
Peter Ostrum was only 12 years old when he landed the role of young Charlie Bucket, whose life is changed forever when he finds a Golden Ticket to Wonka’s chocolate factory. He developed a close bond with Gene Wider during filming and spoke highly of the actor after his death in 2016. Despite being offered a movie-movie deal after the film, Ostrum ultimately decided not to pursue a career as an actor.
Instead, following an interest in horses, Ostrum attended the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and became a vet. For a long time, Ostrum refused to talk about his acting role as Charlie Bucket, but in later years, has expressed his love for the movie, and in interviews, he’s spoken positively about his experiences on set. Now living in New York, Ostrum most recently took part in a video series called Veterinarians on Call to highlight the work of veterinarians, and has also participated in Willy Wonka reunions with his fellow child stars.
5 Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt)
The role of the spoiled Veruca Salt was Julie Dawn Cole’s first acting job at just 12 years old. She famously celebrated her 13th birthday by filming her character’s famous “I Want It Now” song. After Willy Wonka, Cole continued acting and went on to find steady success mainly working in TV roles.
Cole starred in British sitcoms including And Mother Makes Three and Poldark before retiring from acting in 2013 to become a psychotherapist. In 2011, she published a memoir, appropriately titled I Want It Now, documenting her experiences with Willy Wonka. A mother of two, Cole continues to make guest appearances at public events and comedy shows surrounding her famous role as Veruca Salt.
4 Denise Nickerson (Violet Beauregarde)
Unlike her co-stars Peter Ostrum and Julie Dawn Cole, Denise Nickerson already had experience in acting before she took on the role of gum-chewing champion, Violet Beauregarde. Prior to joining the movie, she had recurring roles in the TV series, Dark Shadows, and continued to work in both film and TV after her Wonka character Violet was blown up into a blueberry. She went on to star in The Electric Company and had guest appearances in The Brady Bunch and The Wonderful World of Disney.
Denise Nickerson retired from acting at age 21 and later worked as a doctor’s receptionist and office manager. In later years, she attended many fan conventions dedicated to both Willy Wonka and Dark Shadows. Denise Nickerson passed away in 2019 at the age of 62.
3 Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee)
Before he was cast as the television addict Mike Teevee, Paris Themmen started off working in commercials and Broadway, before joining the cast of Willy Wonka at just 11 years old. The youngest of the five child stars, he had a reputation on set for being a troublemaker. Themmen continued working in acting, landing a guest role in Star Trek: Voyager, while also working behind the scenes as a film producer and as a business representative at Walt Disney Imagineering.
Themmen also pursued interests outside the movie industry. Developing a passion for traveling, he backpacked across 30 countries before he turned 30; as of 2015, he’d traveled across 60 countries. Themmen later co-founded a travel service, worked in real estate, and made an appearance on the game show Jeopardy! in 2018.
2 Michael Böllner (Augustus Gloop)
The greedy Augustus Gloop, notorious for being sucked up the chocolate pipe, was played by German actor, Michael Böllner. The actor later admitted that he struggled during filming as his English language skills were poor at the time, which meant he couldn’t spend much time with his fellow cast members. Like his co-star Peter Ostrum, Böllner’s role in Willy Wonka remains his only film acting role.
Böllner initially wanted to continue acting after the film, but his father made him return to school and finish his education. He now works as a tax accountant and runs his own accounting firm in Munich, Germany. Alongside his co-stars, Böllner makes regular appearances at fan conventions dedicated to the iconic Willy Wonka film and enjoys talking about his experiences in cast reunions for Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.
1 Rusty Goffe (Oompa-Loompa)
Willy Wonka doesn’t run his famous chocolate factory alone. The Oompa-Loompas assist in creating Willy Wonka’s scrumptious candy. The Oompa-Loompas were a key part of the movie, singing catchy songs about each child’s demise as the story proceeded.
A group of ten actors played the Oompa-Loompas, one of whom was Rusty Goffe who was the most heavily featured. Goffe went on to work in movies such as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and the Harry Potter franchise. Goffe has made appearances in several Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory reunions and has spoken highly of his time working in the movie.
