• Home
  • News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Tech
    • Web Stories
    • Spotlight
    • Press Release
What's On

Major supermarket to create hundreds of jobs after huge new warehouse investment

30 August 2025

Ruben Amorim makes shock admission about his future as Manchester United manager

30 August 2025

Two popular UK caravan parks to open over Christmas and New Year for first time ever

30 August 2025

Shirley Ballas vows ‘my toyboy days are OVER’ as she reveals vast spending on ex

30 August 2025

Police explain what you can do if your neighbour’s dog is always barking

30 August 2025

Brit company behind OnlyFans posts record profit as average model earnings slump

30 August 2025

Men taunted family of missing dad by ‘streaming violent assault online’

30 August 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Trending
  • Major supermarket to create hundreds of jobs after huge new warehouse investment
  • Ruben Amorim makes shock admission about his future as Manchester United manager
  • Two popular UK caravan parks to open over Christmas and New Year for first time ever
  • Shirley Ballas vows ‘my toyboy days are OVER’ as she reveals vast spending on ex
  • Police explain what you can do if your neighbour’s dog is always barking
  • Brit company behind OnlyFans posts record profit as average model earnings slump
  • Men taunted family of missing dad by ‘streaming violent assault online’
  • Bruce Willis: List of six key dementia symptoms amid Hollywood icon’s health updates
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
England TimesEngland Times
Demo
  • Home
  • News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Tech
    • Web Stories
    • Spotlight
    • Press Release
England TimesEngland Times
Home » Willy Wonka child star reveals how much he still earns from film and surprising career choice
Entertainment

Willy Wonka child star reveals how much he still earns from film and surprising career choice

By staff2 August 2025No Comments4 Mins Read

The child star who played Charlie in Gene Wilder’s 1971 hit film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory still makes a small amount of money from the film after choosing a totally different career

16:24, 02 Aug 2025Updated 16:24, 02 Aug 2025

Willy Wonka child star reveals how much he still earns from film and surprising career choice
Willy Wonka child star reveals how much he still earns from film and surprising career choice(Image: Getty Images)

Child star Peter Ostrum still makes royalties from his role as Charlie in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 54 years after it was released in 1971. Although Ostrum was one of the classic movie’s lead characters, alongside Gene Wilder, he completely turned his back on acting, and instead chose a very different career.

Ostrum, now 67, is a retired veterinarian, and is a father of two. He never starred in another film, making his role as Charlie his one and only acting job.

In an interview at a screening of the movie at his local Snowtown Film Festival in 2018, he was asked if he makes any money from his short-lived acting career. Due to residuals from screenings of the film on TV, he revealed he gets a cheque for roughly $8 to $9 every few months, despite the Johnny Depp remake making half a billion dollars. It comes after reports Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are set for new ‘goldmine’ offer – but could face issue .

READ MORE: Top Gear host admits he ‘never got along’ with Jeremy Clarkson as he makes bold statementREAD MORE: Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones split as he joins notorious dating app on lads’ holiday

During the same interview, he revealed that his wife, Loretta M. Lepkowski, had no idea he had been a small part of Hollywood history when she met him. She said: “Once I saw it, I realised — ‘Wow, he had a major part.’”

He spoke about the reception of the movie, which he described as “lukewarm” at the time. Despite having major film star Gene Wilder as the titular character, he said people simply “forgot about it”, with it making around $4million at the box office.

Peter Ostrum, who portrayed Charlie in the 1971 film
Peter Ostrum, who portrayed Charlie in the 1971 film(Image: WireImage)

During a 2021 virtual reunion hosted by Yahoo, Ostrum said: “You can’t kill Wonka. It just gets played over and over again, whether the original or the remake with Johnny Depp.

“And that brought attention back to our film. Kids saw Johnny Depp’s version, their parents said, ‘You need to see the original.’

“Anything that talks about Wonka is good for the Wonka story. It’s a great story and it needs to be retold, regardless of who’s producing it or who’s making it.”

Peter revealed how his life went straight back to normal after he finished filming the movie. Speaking to the Mirror in 2013, Peter said: “I get calls every time there’s a new version of the story or some fresh look at the film. You can’t kill Charlie and the Chocolate Factory… it keeps resurfacing in different formats.

The classic film has been remade numerous times
The classic film has been remade numerous times(Image: Liverpool Echo)

“We had no idea at the time that it would have any kind of success at all so it’s pretty neat that it is still so loved. I know my kids have read it and they liked it.”

He added: “I have a great affection for the story idea that if you are honest and hardworking and do the right thing, good things happen to you.” Although he went on to get an offer for a three-film deal, he turned it down as he hated spending time away from home.

Peter said said: “I enjoyed ­doing it but I couldn’t ­really see myself doing it for the rest of my life. How many kids carry a successful child acting career into an adult acting career?

“The Jodie Fosters and Ron Howards you can count on one hand. I think I just played myself in the film – in real life I am a horrible singer and they told me that they weren’t going to use my voice but they did.

“Acting was fine, but I ­wanted something more steady. The key is to find something you love doing, and that’s what I got.”

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

READ MORE: Rochelle Humes just wore ‘slimming’ £32 top from River Island on This Morning

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email

Related News

Shirley Ballas vows ‘my toyboy days are OVER’ as she reveals vast spending on ex

30 August 2025

Kim Kardashian slams Donald Trump’s immigration policies and ICE raids

30 August 2025

Zara McDermott poses with Louis Tomlinson’s sisters after ‘huge step in romance’

29 August 2025

Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen set for major reboot as he makes huge move

29 August 2025

Zoe Kravitz’s romance with Harry Styles ‘refreshing’ as he’s compared to her dad

29 August 2025

Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy reveals unseen snaps in emotional birthday post

29 August 2025
Latest News

Ruben Amorim makes shock admission about his future as Manchester United manager

30 August 2025

Two popular UK caravan parks to open over Christmas and New Year for first time ever

30 August 2025

Shirley Ballas vows ‘my toyboy days are OVER’ as she reveals vast spending on ex

30 August 2025

Police explain what you can do if your neighbour’s dog is always barking

30 August 2025
Stay In Touch
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
Don't Miss
News

Brit company behind OnlyFans posts record profit as average model earnings slump

By staff30 August 20250

While some big-name OnlyFans content creators rake in millions every year, Leonid Radvinsky makes more…

Men taunted family of missing dad by ‘streaming violent assault online’

30 August 2025

Bruce Willis: List of six key dementia symptoms amid Hollywood icon’s health updates

30 August 2025

UK shoppers discover new Coca-Cola flavour in stores – but people are divided

30 August 2025
England Times
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
© 2025 England Times. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Go to mobile version