While many people have been delighted to see Hugh Grant make his debut appearance as an Oompa Loompa in the first full trailer for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel Wonka, not everyone is happy with the actor “taking away” the role of actors with dwarfism. Willow and Artemis Fowl star George Coppen, who has dwarfism himself, criticised the decision to cast Grant in the role of the movie’s small character.
Speaking in an interview with BBC News, Coppen rallied against the use of someone who does not have dwarfism taking away the job of someone who does though the use of special effects. He said:
"A lot of actors [with dwarfism] feel like we are being pushed out of the industry we love. A lot of people, myself included, argue that dwarfs should be offered everyday roles in dramas and soaps, but we aren’t getting offered those roles. One door is being closed but they have forgotten to open the next one. They’ve enlarged his head so his head looks bigger. [I thought] what the hell have you done to him?"
Coppen, who is 26-years-old, was not even born when the first big screen outing for Roald Dahl’s chocolatier and his troupe of Oompa Loompas hit the big screen in 1973. However, as well as being in the industry himself, he follows in the footsteps of his father Willie Coppen, who started acting in Return of the Jedi and appeared in movies like The Never-Ending Story and Willow in the 1980s. the father and son both appeared in Disney+’s Willow series.
Wonka is set to hit theaters this December.
The Depiction of “Dwarf” Characters Has Been Hotly Debated Recently.
For decades, actors with dwarfism have appeared in many big fantasy movies and TV shows, and many more have turned out year in, year out to appear in theatrical pantomimes based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, the Disney remake of their version of Snow White caused a conflict of opinion between a number of actors including Peter Dinklage.
When the live-action Snow White movie was announced, Dinklage, who became best known in recent years for playing Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones and will soon appear in the Toxic Avenger reboot, called the movie a “backward” move for its depiction of dwarfs. He said at the time:
“I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White. You’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me... You’re progressive in one way and you’re still making that f--king backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f--k are you doing man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I’m not loud enough.”
However, when recent set images showed non-dwarf actors on set in place of Snow White’s seven companions, Dylan Postl called out Disney for taking away the roles of actors with dwarfism. Disney alluded that they would not be featuring dwarfs in the movie and would instead be including animal based characters, but subsequently they noted that they had been “in consultation with the dwarfism community” to avoid stereotyping. So far, there has been no images or statements to confirm how the characters will look in the end, but we can expect more opinions when that reveal is made.
Snow White was filming in U.K. earlier this year and is currently slated for release in 2024