The story of Willy Wonka is a timeless tale about a man who wanted to spread joy through the goodness of chocolate and other sweet treats. Whether you are partial to the classic 1971 version starring Gene Wilder, or the quirky, modern portrayal of Wonka played by Johnny Depp, the story has been enjoyed by audiences for many generations. Gen Z’s arguable heartthrob, Timothée Chalamet, continues the legacy in Wonka.
Her Campus Temple was invited by Warner Bros. to have advanced screening access to the movie and participate in a roundtable interview with Chalamet and his co-star Keegan-Michael Key , to discuss the exciting new film.
Throughout the interview, the stars shared how the movie is a prequel to the original story. The film undoubtedly fills in narrative gaps, answering questions fans have likely pondered for decades.
After watching the film, I wondered why Keegan-Michael Key’s character, the chief-of-police, was never a main focus in the original movies. His comedic timing and obsession with chocolate was admirable throughout the movie.
Key discussed how he had a similar curiosity about his character when he first read the script.
“I remember in the original script, there was some mention about some of the chief-of-police’s past behavior, maybe not his life,” said Key. “I couldn’t glean as much information about his past as a kid, or when his addiction to chocolate started or anything like that. That was something that you just have to make up using your own imagination.”
However, Chalamet liked the “Willy Wonka quality of mystery” that came with this modern portrayal.
“I always was told, going to acting school, that generality is the enemy of your backstory,” said Chalamet. “This was the rare exception whereas in every other role I’d work on, you want to have every question answered that way. Here, it felt acceptable, in fact beneficial, to kind of think, almost apparated.”
The film not only answers numerous questions about the origin of Wonka and the personalities that surround him, but it also opens up a world of Willy Wonka unlike anything we have seen before.
Wonka is being shown in theaters starting December 15.