Actor who played charlie in charlie and the chocolate factory: 59 Photos
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What happened to the actor who played Charlie in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Charlie Bucket was played by Peter Ostrum, his only film role, at the age of 12. Peter grew up to become a veterinarian, and is still practicing in the town of Lowville, New York.
Peter Gardner Ostrum. Peter Gardner Ostrum (/ˈoʊstrəm/ OH-strəm; born November 1, 1957) is an American retired veterinarian and former child actor, whose only film role was as Charlie Bucket in the 1971 motion picture Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.);})();(function(){window.jsl.dh(5rjFZoTZG6m9wPAPztTp-Qs__35,
Peter joins Genevieve to reminisce about making classic movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and explains why he quit acting to become a vet.
The character went on to appear in its 1972 sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, as well as several films starring Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp. In the newest film, directed by Paul King, Timothée Chalamet portrays the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
And, it turns out, playing Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka was Peter Ostrum's only acting role. After he graduated from school, the one-time child actor got a veterinary degree and today owns his own practice in New York. Since playing Charlie in the 1971 Wonka film, Peter has made only a few appearances in the media.