Secret life of an Oompa Loompa! British actor, 77, who starred in 1971 film and new Netflix Wonka show reveals the original chocolate river was 'filthy', how he got so orange and what Gene Wilder was really like

When Rusty Goffe, one of only two surviving Oompa Loompas from the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory film, wandered onto the set of 2026 Netflix reality show Wonka: The Golden Ticket, there was one striking difference – the smell wasn't atrocious.

The famous chocolate river that ribboned through the factory – captivating grown-ups and children alike, in Mel Stuart's 1971 adaptation of Roald Dahl's eccentric children's novel, was – thankfully – far more ambrosial this time around.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Goffe, now 77 but very much still acting, says: '55 years ago, it was just dirty water. The crew were throwing cigarette ends and bits of old script into it. Then they poured real sugar and real cream in it.

'After a few days under hot lights, everything started smelling terribly. In the new show, it was actually just a lovely chocolate river'.

Six decades on from the film that started his career, Goffe heads up a new army of Oompa Loompas in the high-stakes reality show based on the original film, which sees 12 pairs of contestants, each duo clutching a golden ticket, entering a recreation of Wonka's factory to try and win a £2.25million 'set for life' prize pot.

The actor, who has dwarfism and stands at 4ft 2in tall, isn't the only big name from the first film, which was shot for a modest £2.2million and only performed modestly at the box office, involved though.

The voice of US acting icon Gene Wilder, who played Wonka in 1971 – and died ten years ago aged 83, has been raised from the dead using AI, with permission from the late star's estate.

Many fans of the first film who've tuned into the reality show, filmed on a state-of-the-art 88,000-square-foot set near Brisbane, since its release two weeks ago, say they've found the show's computer-generated narration a little 'creepy'.

Did it spook Goffe when he heard a version of Wilder's voice again for the first time?

'I thought he was there, I thought he'd turned up!' the actor jokes, adding that far from finding it weird, he found it 'magical, just magical'.

One thing is for sure, donning a re-worked version of the dungarees, that famous green hairpiece and plenty of orange face-paint made him feel like the decades had rolled back. 

Only Goffe and Lancashire-born Albert Wilkinson, who's now 88, of the original chocolate factory workforce, are still alive. 

'I could feel the other Oompa Loompas there with me. It was like the whole team were there.

'Gene Wilder, Roy Kinnear - who played Veruca Salt's father, and all the other members were there, sort of sitting on our shoulders going: "This is the next generation of Wonka".' 

He was as green as the wig on his head when he arrived for filming, in Munich in Germany, in 1970, he admits. 

'I was 22 when the first one was made and it was my first ever movie. I didn't know what to do but I was guided by the director and the other Oompah Loompahs - we called them 'Oomphs'. And of course, Roy Kinnear, who was a lovely fellow.'

What was Wilder really like? The famously soft-spoken star's portrayal of candy man Wonka ended up being the role he was most famous for.

Goffe says: 'I loved him. He was a funny man yet serious. He knew what he wanted - but he was gentle. That's all I can say.' 

The actor, who was born in Herne Bay, Kent in 1948, and now lives in Leighton Buzzard with his wife Sarah, says landing the part in the classic film – still considered the best version of Dahl's book – changed his life forever.

His illustrious roll-call of films includes Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Willow and five Harry Potter movies...but, Goffe adds: 'Nothing beats Wonka'.

Unless it's the version which starred Johnny Depp – and featured just one Oompa Loompa – in 2005. 'Don't even mention Tim Burton!'.  

There were ten Oompa Loompas in the original film, all of short stature, with nine now in the line-up – and this time around, they come in all shapes and sizes, including 6ft 8' Mitchell Marion, the 'tallest Oompa that's ever Loompa'd.' 

He says mixing things up was a 'great idea'. 'I loved it. When the first movie came out, people were saying "Oh, I wish I was an Oompa Loompa" and this show proves that anyone can be…if you've got orange makeup and green hair.'

Alongside a more ambrosial chocolate river, modern advances meant that the famous Oompa Loompa get-up was a little easier to deal with. 

'In 1971, there was a makeup artist called Klaus assigned to the Oompa Loompas. 

'Every five minutes he would scream "More powder boys! There's a break...put more orange powder on". By the end of the day, you had to literally scrape it off.'

He adds: 'And this time the wigs fitted. 55 years ago, they thought every dwarf had the same sized head. This time the green wigs fitted like a glove.'  

Goffe didn't like the footwear though. 'We had to dance in heavy boots, not like the flat ballet pumps we had 55 years ago.' 

The actor also brought one of his two sons, Ben, 33, along for the ride, with the acting duo based on Australia's Gold Coast for filming over six weeks last autumn. 

Ben explains: 'An email came from my agent, they were trying to get hold of Dad to ask if he'd like to revisit Willy Wonka after 55 years. And then they asked if I wanted to be part of it too.'

There was one strict rule on set in Australia though, says Ben, who, along with brother Jack, has followed his father into stage and screen. 

'With the Netflix contestants, we weren't allowed to talk to them at all. The producers wanted to keep them in the world of Willy Wonka. We were sworn to secrecy.' 

Was Ben, who's about to join the cast of Barnum, the musical about ringmaster P T Barnum and will be playing Buttons in panto in Dartford this Christmas, always going to follow his parents to the stage? His mum, Sarah, was a dance teacher and is now an international dance examiner. 

'I started at their theatre school when I was three. Even now, if I'm at the Royal Shakespeare Company or at the National Theatre, they will still give me notes. 

'My mum will still say "Oh, you started that bit of choreography on the wrong note, on the wrong foot", or Dad will say "Try that line a little bit different". And 95% of the time, they're always right.'

Despite the days of filming Down Under being gruelling – the pair had just two days of respite in six weeks of shotting, both father-and-son are keen as mustard for a second series. 

Indeed, Rusty baulks at the idea that he might have sung 'Oompa, Loompa, doompa-dee-do' for the last time.

'Just in case Netflix, or anyone else, asks, please do make it clear I have not retired...'

Wonka: The Golden Ticket is on Netflix now