Hugh Grant hated playing an Oompa Loompa in Wonka for one particular reason

Timothée Chalamet and Hugh Grant in Wonka

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Hugh Grant's portrayal of an Oompa Loompa in Wonka is a big hit with critics, but it sounds like the actor didn't delight in playing the small sidekick as much as we enjoyed watching him.

To make Grant appear so small, director Paul King used motion capture technology to shrink the Love Actually star down to Oompa Loompa size. This required the actor to wear a special suit to capture his body movements, a rather uncomfortable and unenjoyable experience, according to Grant. In a press conference with Metro.co.uk, the actor, with his typical dry sense of humor, described the experience as "drivel" continuing, "It was like a crown of thorns, very uncomfortable."

Grant had to endure multiple cameras on his face and other apparatuses to help the animators create the final product. "I made a big fuss about it," he admitted, adding, "I couldn’t have hated the whole thing more." The Notting Hill star seemingly found acting without the use of his body difficult, to say the least. "And frankly, what I did with my body was terrible, and it’s all been replaced with an animator."

When asked if it was all worth it, the actor shrugged, "Not really," while the other cast members laughed around him. Grant highlighted that the CGI took all of the fun out of the role for him, especially in the singing and dancing scenes.

From this, it's clear that King knew what he was doing in casting Grant in the role. Who better to play Willy Wonka’s grumpy and witty little accomplice? The Paddington director solidified this earlier in the conference, stating he cast Hugh because he is the "the funniest, most sarcastic s**t I’ve ever met."

It seems that King made the right decision, first reactions to Wonka saw critics singing the Loompa’s praises, Wendy Lee Szany tweeted: "Hugh Grant steals every scene he's in," and Variety writer Courtney Howard shared: "Hugh Grant in exceptional IDGAF mode." From that we can guess that little Mr. Loompa steals the show, however much he hated filming it.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.