Willy Wonka faces off a particularly snarky “little orange man” in the new movie – but how did he meet the Oompa Loompas in the first place?
Two things synonymous with the fictional chocolate factory are the face and brain of the operation, Willy Wonka, and his sidekick helpers known as the Oompa Loompas.
In our four-star review of the movie, we described Hugh Grant’s Oompa Loompa as being “incredibly entertaining in the role, teaching Wonka the harsh realities of the world without him even realizing it.”
But just how did Willy Wonka end up meeting the Oompa Loompas in the first place? Here’s everything you need to know. Warning – spoilers ahead!
How did Willy Wonka meet the Oompa Loompas?
As Wonka reveals, Willy Wonka first met an Oompa Loompa after he was caught trying to steal chocolate.
When Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) is trapped in Mrs. Scrubbit’s (Olivia Colman) laundrette, he tells Noodle (Calah Lane) that a tiny orange man with green hair has been stealing chocolate from him. She laughs, not fully believing him, sparking Wonka to formulate a plan in order to catch him.
A few days later, while Wonka is sleeping, a small shadow is seen creeping into his bedroom towards a jar of chocolates on the floor. Hitting a rogue floorboard, the jar is actually part of a trap, confining the small intruder to another empty jar. The stranger introduces himself as an Oompa Loompa, explaining that he has come back to take what is rightfully his.
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Through a rendition of the iconic Oompa Loompa song, the stranger reminds Wonka that he once went to Loompa Land and cut down four Loompa chocolate beans from a tree. Our Oompa Loompa – who has so far given himself the name Lofty – was supposed to be guarding the beans, but fell asleep. When he woke up, the other Oompa Loompas kicked him out of Loompa Land until he could get them back.
Wonka and the Oompa Loompa form an uneasy alliance
Wonka explains that he can’t give the chocolate back because he needs it, with Lofty estimating that he needs one more jar before they are even, disappearing into the night. The pair meet again when Wonka is exiled on a boat heading toward the Arctic, having sworn not to ever make chocolate again.
The Oompa Loompa is also on board, encouraging Wonka to get back at the chocolatiers who sent him packing. The two discover that the boat has been laced with explosives, parting ways in order to save their lives – but not before Wonka is reminded that he owes one last jar of chocolate.
When Wonka and Noodle are later stuck in a chocolate vat and left to die by the town’s leading chocolatiers, it’s the Oompa Loompa who comes to their rescue. Though the designated last jar of chocolate has been eaten, Wonka pays up in full once the town is fully rid of its sickly-sweet villains.
The Oompa Loompa begins to head back to Loompa Land until Wonka offers him a chance to be the head taster at his – so far, purely imagined – chocolate factory. And as they say… the rest is history.
Wonka is in cinemas now. You can check out our other coverage below: