Twitter Can’t Decide Whether Oompa Loompa Hugh Grant Is ‘Nightmare Fuel’ Or ‘Iconic’
Hugh Grant’s Hugh-naissance is showing no signs of slowing down.
For the second act of his career, the one-time rom-com star has been taking on some truly weird and wonderful parts that couldn’t be further from the Richard Curtis roles that made him famous.
In recent years, we’ve had Hugh as a villainous thespian in Paddington 2, a dodgy dealer in a Guy Ritchie film, a charming-but-creepy surgeon in The Undoing – and now, we’ve been treated to a first look at the Bafta winner as an Oompa Loompa in Timothée Chalamet’s new movie Wonka.
Yes, you read that correctly. Hugh Grant, formerly of floppy hair and saying “um” in 500 different ways fame, has donned a green wig and orange face paint to play an Oompa Loompa in Wonka, a Charlie And The Chocolate Factory prequel charting Willy Wonka’s ascent to the top of the chocolate industry.
The trailer for the movie, which is directed by Paddington’s Paul King, finishes with a glimpse at what we can expect from Hugh’s performance, as Timothée’s Willy Wonka has a chat with an Oompa Loompa he’s apparently imprisoned in a glass case.
As the teaser comes to an end, the Oompa Loompa looks like he’s about to launch into the famous Oompa Loompa Song from the 1971 film Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory, complete with dance routine.
“I’ve started dancing now,” he tells Wonka. “Once we’ve started, we can’t stop.”
It’s fair to say that the image of Hugh in full Oompa Loompa get-up (it’s not just the green hair – there’s also a purple suit involved) was a lot for film fans to process, and pure unadulterated shock was a common emotion...
Mentally processing hugh grant as an oompa loompa
— your pal friendpatine (@palfriendpatine) July 11, 2023
hugh grant as a tiny orange gnome is the last thing I expected to see today
— مائرہ (@l0rdfarquad01) July 12, 2023
of all the things i thought i’d see today, hugh grant as an oompa loompa was nooot one of them
— thigh stan (@thotwiththotz) July 12, 2023
can’t stop thinking about hugh grant oompa loompa
— piper (@angellxcy) July 12, 2023
hugh grant as an oompa loompa was not the jumpscare i anticipated today
— ????ₒₜₜᵢₑ ????ₐₜₜₕₑwₛ ┆the bad batch isn't canon ???? (@shaaevizsla) July 12, 2023
i cannae believe they got hugh grant playing an oompa loompa
— beau (@soggybottombeau) July 12, 2023
Some even described it as the stuff of nightmares....
Hugh Grant as an Oompla Loompa is nightmare fuel
— mark (@marksiembida) July 11, 2023
therapist: hugh grant as an oompa loompa can't hurt you, he isn't real
— Alex Zalben (@azalben) July 11, 2023
hugh grant as an oompa loompa: pic.twitter.com/mVfgEdYCjC
I’ve just seen a still of Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa… how do I unsee? ????
— KingChels (@thekingchels) July 12, 2023
hugh grant as an oompa loompa was not the jumpscare i anticipated today
— ????ₒₜₜᵢₑ ????ₐₜₜₕₑwₛ ┆the bad batch isn't canon ???? (@shaaevizsla) July 12, 2023
Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa is something none of us ever needed to see.
— Dimo (@DimoDammit) July 12, 2023
But for others, the prospect of the “Hughmpa Loompa” (a nickname coined by his co-star Timothée in a tweet shared shortly after the trailer) was enough to have them practically queuing outside the cinema.
All you had to show me is Hugh Grant as a Oompa Loompa & then a title card & you could have sold me a ticket. This looks genuinely charming & Timothée Chalamet looks great! Can’t wait! #Wonka#WonkaMoviehttps://t.co/szJIVfsWre
— Nerdalorian (@Nerduoso) July 12, 2023
cancel this Wonka business and just give me a Hugh Grant Oompa Loompa movie pic.twitter.com/G44u9bh90U
— wry sanity ????️ (@wrysanity) July 12, 2023
Am I going to watch Wonka solely because of Hugh Grant's Oompa Loompa?
— ttrpgifs (@TTRPGifs) July 11, 2023
Yes, I think I will.
I have just seen @HackedOffHugh as an oompa loompa in the Wonka trailer and now I have to go and see the damned film. Curse you Grant!
— Publishing Ninja ????️???? (@PublishingNinja) July 12, 2023
Hugh Grant being cast as an Oompa Loompa is something we didn't know we needed
— xaoc (@xaoc___) July 12, 2023
hugh grant as an oompa loompa iss going to be iconic https://t.co/MnTwXj2Kek
— Lo (@lauanime) July 12, 2023
Meanwhile, plenty of fans were just glad that at this stage in his career, Hugh seems to be having fun with the parts he picks...
Hugh Grant went from rom coms to playing fun characters like in paddington 2, the gentleman, glass onion, dungeons and dragons, to now an Oompa Loompa.
— Arturo Torres (@arturodraws) July 11, 2023
Whoever his agent is needs to keep it up. I’m here for it. pic.twitter.com/YDPSvgu9IP
hugh grant’s really been thriving in the daniel radcliffe school of unserious roles lately and I’m obsessed https://t.co/jjxiqakCDJ
— tick, tick... (@BohoDayz) July 12, 2023
From the ultimate romcom heartthrob to oompa loompa. Quite the career trajectory.
— ???????? (@cherrycola_nz) July 12, 2023
Curious to know the roles Hugh Grant is saying 'no' to, when it's a yes to a dancing, flute-playing Oompa Loompa, but I am so here for this era of his career #Wonkapic.twitter.com/2NLHpU3fgF
— Amber Jamieson (@AmberPickette) July 12, 2023
Come to think of it, might Hugh’s Oompa Loompa transformation be proof that he’s one of the most versatile actors of his generation?
literally no one else could oompa loompa as hard as hugh grant #wonkapic.twitter.com/L4NgvuZk8L
— ً (@filmlamet) July 11, 2023
If any of you think Hugh Grant isn't the greatest actor of our age, you are wrong. https://t.co/u52qPuNQr3
— Kent Newman (@Kent_NewmanWGTN) July 12, 2023
yeah yeah Daniel Day-Lewis transformative artist blah blah but did he ever physically alter his height like Hugh Grant has done to play an Oompa Loompa in Wonka? pic.twitter.com/Q7P2YWE3gA
— Tom Reagan’s Hat (@RufusTSuperfly) July 11, 2023
Speaking at the launch of the trailer yesterday, the film’s director revealed that when it came to casting the Oompa Loompa, he used the songs that author Roald Dahl wrote for them as a starting point.
Those songs, Paul noted, were “incredibly sarcastic and judgemental and cruel” about the children visiting Wonka’s factory, and Hugh (who he worked with on Paddington 2) just happened to pop into his head.
“So I was really just thinking about that character; somebody who could be a real shit, and then — ah! Hugh!” he explained. “Because he’s the funniest, most sarcastic shit I’ve ever met.”
Wonka is out in UK cinemas on 15 December.