During an exclusive chat with PEOPLE, Wonka director Paul King joked about eating sweets during filming and revealed that the set had its very own chocolate maker.
The Paddington director revealed that he got to taste-test some of the treats and quipped, "I think I've [gained] about 50 pounds, but I hope I can lose it before [the movie] comes out."
King also joked about the film's star, Timothée Chalamet (who tackles the iconic Roald Dahl character in the upcoming musical). The director said, "It's a miracle that Timmy remains so slim and handsome. I'm trying to fatten him up, but it's hard to do."
King went on to say that the cast and crew of Wonka gobbled up their fair share of chocolate during filming, saying everyone had a "great deal, which was a wonderful thing." He added that their consumption also reminded the British writer that his "life had taken a wonderful turn."
The Bunny and the Bull director then noted that Wonka had its very own chocolate maker, saying, "We had this incredible chocolatier. She made these incredible concoctions, and we would taste them. They tasted much better than they needed to, because obviously actors are good at pretending things, but the miracle was they tasted every bit as good as they looked."
The director also discussed one particular scene in the film, which involved Chalamet's Willy Wonka and his friend Noodle (played by Calah Lane) "in this huge vat of chocolate." He stated, "We actually made an enormous vat of hot chocolate — not scalding, just warm hot chocolate for them to immerse themselves in. So there was there [sic] a lot of chocolate around."
Paul King Previously Praised Timothée Chalamet's Abilities Calling the Wonka Star a "Phenomenal Actor"
Previously, while sharing exclusive images of the upcoming film with PEOPLE, King praised Chalamet's take on the quirky chocolate factory founder, calling the Bones and All star a "phenomenal actor."
At the time, King said, "I think what's so remarkable about his performance is not only that he is funny and mischievous and quite mysterious, as well — just like the Willy Wonka that people will know — but also, he brings such heart to the role and he's a brilliant actor. He's incredibly emotionally intelligent and can bring a great deal of emotional truth to the role."
The director also revealed that fans of the Dune star would definitely be impressed with Chalamet's performance in Wonka, noting that the star "can also sing and dance brilliantly." King stated, "It's really a tour de force for him there," before adding that the actor "was rehearsing for months before we went to kind of that honing skills, which was a pleasure to watch."
In addition to Chalamet and Lane, Wonka also stars Olivia Coleman, Rowan Atkinson, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Matthew Baynton, Natasha Rothwell, Jim Carter, Sally Hawkins, and Hugh Grant (as an Oompa Loompa).
Wonka hits theaters later this year on December 15th.