Oompa-Loompas

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Oompa-Loompas
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory race
First appearance Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Last appearance Wonka
Created by Roald Dahl
In-universe information
Other name(s)Oompa Loompas, Whipple-Scrumpets
Leader Willy Wonka

The Oompa-Loompas are a fictional race of people in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory franchise based on the original book by Roald Dahl. In all versions of the story, they are depicted as little people who form the workforce of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, and are paid in cocoa beans. However, their appearance and backstory change depending on the version.

Contents

Design and characteristics

In the first edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Oompa-Loompas are depicted as dark-skinned African pygmies. This was the source of controversy, and in 1970 the NAACP criticised the story and stated the Oompa-Loompas had overtones of slavery. Dahl insisted the Oompa-Loompas had no racist intent, and rewrote the book, changing the Oompa-Loompa's skin colour to white and changing the origin of the Oompa-Loompas from Africa to the made-up "Loompaland". [1] The second design was drawn by British illustrator Faith Jaques. [2]

In the 1971 movie, the Oompa-Loompas are depicted as having orange skin, green pompadour-like hairstyles, and sporting brown shirts and white dungarees. [1] They were portrayed by dwarf actors Rudy Borgstaller, George Claydon, Malcolm Dixon, Rusty Goffe, Ismed Hassan, Norman McGlen, Angelo Muscat, Pepe Poupee, Marcus Powell, and Albert Wilkinson. [3]

In the 2005 movie, the Oompa-Loompas are all identical, and they sport red space age jumpsuits. They were all played by Kenyan-British actor Deep Roy. [4]

In the 2023 prequel Wonka, the Oompa-Loompas are embodied by the solitary "Lofty", who was portrayed by Hugh Grant. [5] Grant's appearance matches the one of the 1971 Oompa-Loompas, although his character's shortness and orange complexion was made with digital effects. [6]

Cultural impact

An Oompa-Loompa scarecrow Norland Scarecrow Festival 27.jpg
An Oompa-Loompa scarecrow

The Oompa-Loompas were one of the main inspirations for Despicable Me 's Minions. [7]

In 2017, the spider species Myrmecium oompaloompa was named after the Oompa-Loompas. The name comes from the fact that they were first discovered on cocoa plantations in Brazil. [8]

In 2023, American musician Jagwar Twin released the single Bad Feeling (Oompa Loompa). The song utilises the lyrics and melody from the refrain of the Oompa-Loompa songs in the 1971 film. [9] The song reached #36 on the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and #33 on the Pop Airplay. [10] [11]

In 2024, Willy's Chocolate Experience, an unlicensed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory event, was held in Glasgow, Scotland. An image of a disgruntled and weary-looking Oompa-Loompa [Note 1] played by actress Kirsty Paterson went viral and subsequently became an internet meme. [12]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Referred to as "Wonkidoodles"

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References

  1. 1 2 Siddique, Haroon (2017-09-13). "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory hero 'was originally black'". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  2. ↑ "Charlie and the chocolate factory : Roald Dahl. Illustrated by Faith Jaques | WorldCat.org". search.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
  3. ↑ Goffe, Rusty (2005-07-27). "My life as an Oompa Loompa: 'Willy Wonka was my first and favourite film'". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  4. ↑ "Meet Deep Roy, the man who was 165 Oompa Loompas — including an entire glam rock band". ABC News. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  5. ↑ Tinoco, Armando (2023-10-12). "New 'Wonka' Trailer: Timothée Chalamet Stands Up To The Bullies With Help From Oompa-Loompa Hugh Grant". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  6. ↑ Ito, Robert (2023-12-15). "Can the Oompa-Loompas Be Saved?". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  7. ↑ "With 'Despicable Me 2,' fans again go bananas over Gru's minions". Los Angeles Times. 2013-07-02. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
  8. ↑ Candiani, David F.; Bonaldo, Alexandre B. (2017-02-07). "The superficial ant: a revision of the Neotropical ant-mimicking spider genus Myrmecium Latreille, 1824 (Araneae, Corinnidae, Castianeirinae)". Zootaxa. 4230 (1): zootaxa.4230.1.1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4230.1.1. ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   28187559.
  9. ↑ "The Best New Music the Week of December 15, 2023". www.sweetyhigh.com. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  10. ↑ devops (2013-01-02). "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  11. ↑ devops (2013-01-02). "Pop Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  12. ↑ Mack, David (2024-02-28). "Glasgow's Sad Oompa Loompa Isn't Gonna Sugarcoat This". Vulture. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
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