by Johnny Depp reveals aspects that could have been done better in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Willy Wonka in the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is iconic. However, Depp has since revealed that there were aspects of the film that could have been improved.
In a 2017 interview, Depp said the following about his role as Wonka:
“I loved playing Wonka. It was a fantastic role and I had a great time on set. But looking back, there are things I wish I had done differently. I went a little too dark and weird with the character. I based him too much on creepy, mysterious people I have known or heard about. Tim Burton really wanted an odd, dark character and we leaned into that. But I think the character could have used a bit more warmth and charm. Gene Wilder’s Wonka had that warmth. I focused too much on the peculiar and not enough on the joy and wonder that Wonka could bring to children.”
Depp said he focused too much on making Wonka mysterious and eccentric at the expense of making him likable and charming for children. He wishes he had found a better balance between Wonka’s quirkiness and his ability to connect with children.
Some specific aspects Depp said could have been improved:
• The voice – Depp said he went too high and nasal with Wonka’s voice, making it grating at times instead of whimsical. He wishes he had used more of his natural voice with some modifications to make Wonka sound unique but not irritating.
• The physicality – Depp said he made Wonka too twitchy and spastic in his movements. While some of that worked, he overdid it at times and wishes he had been more fluid and graceful like a conductor to match Wonka’s creative genius.
• The backstory – Depp said the vague, mysterious backstory they gave Wonka limited his ability to make the character sympathetic. More details about Wonka’s past and what drove him to create the factory could have helped audiences connect with him on a deeper level.
• The interaction with the children – Depp admits he played Wonka as too detached and uninterested in the children at first. He wishes he had found a way to show Wonka’s joy in sharing his world with them earlier on to make the story more heartwarming.
Despite these regrets, Depp still sees his version of Wonka as a “mad hatter type” character he enjoyed inhabiting. But with the benefit of hindsight, he can see ways the role could have been tweaked to make Wonka a more fully formed and emotionally accessible character for audiences.
Overall, Depp’s performance added a darker, quirkier edge to the Wonka character that helped distinguish the 2005 version from the 1971 original. But as Depp notes, finding a better balance between Wonka’s peculiarities and his ability to connect with children could have elevated the film even further.
So while Johnny Depp’s Willy Wonka remains an iconic cinematic creation, the actor sees room for improvement that could have made the character – and the entire film – just a little bit sweeter. His honest reflections show an artist always striving to grow and do better the next time, even with a role that has become legendary in its own right.
