Timothée Chalamet has built an impressive career playing addicted, gloomy or introverted characters. Now he thought it was time for something completely different. He takes on the role of iconic chocolate maker Willy Wonka. And that was quite exciting.
The countless fans of 27-year-old Chalamet adore him for his portrayal of the introverted teenager Elio in Call Me By Your Name and the equally tranquil main character Paul Atreides Dune. In between he also played a drug addict (Beautiful Boy) and a cannibal (Bones and All). All roles that are miles away from the eccentric chocolate maker from Roald Dahls Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Wonka is the first musical to feature Chalamet. “I had to practice a lot with singing and dancing coaches,” he tells NU.nl. “And I was allowed to record songs at Abbey Road Studios (where The Beatles also recorded albums, ed.). That was a dream in itself. But a lot of live singing also had to be done on the set.”
Did he ever have the feeling during filming that he might have taken on too much? “That’s a very good question,” he muses, smiling. Somewhat in despair, he continues: “I was really overwhelmed by the whole process. I believed in myself, but I was impressed by how grand the making of this film was.”
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Timothée Chalamet swam in chocolate in Wonka: ‘We licked it off’
‘Everyone wants to work with Timothée Chalamet’
When you look at Chalamet’s resume, you might not immediately see Willy Wonka in him. But director Paul King, known for the Paddingtonfilms, knew immediately that he wanted the American-French actor. “It is indeed something very different for him. I don’t think so Dune 2 (referring to the second part of the science fiction series that will be released in March, ed.) will also be a full musical,” he jokes.
“Timothée is one of the best actors of his generation. He is brilliant and that is why everyone wants to work with him. Very few can convey his emotion. That makes him very special. For me it was wonderful to work with such a talent to work.”
Singing and dancing wasn’t entirely new to Chalamet either, says King. The actor went to a New York high school that focused on performing arts. “He also had to perform a lot there. I think it was nice for him to go back in time a bit.”
Timothée Chalamet at the premiere of Wonka in Paris. Photo: Warner Movies
‘Timothée started having more and more fun’
King has seen Chalamet grow during the filming of the film. “He started having more and more fun with it. Most of the films he has made so far were not exactly cheerful. Neither were his characters. At some moments in the film, Willy Wonka especially radiates happiness. Timothée went wild with that and enjoyed it. That was nice to see.”
The actor agrees. “I saw how loosely Olivia Colman and Keegan-Michael Key played their roles and how much fun they had. It also made me more open and able to let go.”
Will Chalamet na Wonka make more films for the whole family? “Certainly, if the script and director are good. Making this film was a very rewarding process, because people leave the cinema happy. You are left with a nice feeling.”
2023-12-09 11:36:00
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