‘I played Augustus Gloop in Willy Wonka film – nobody knows who I am in my new career’

The man who played Augustus Gloop in the original Willy Wonka film now looks unrecognisable as he admits that “nobody” knows who he is.

Former child actor Michael Böllner was just 12 years old when he starred alongside Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, taking on the role of the extremely greedy kid who just can’t stop eating.

But while his iconic role in the 1971 film shot him to stardom in the UK and US, the German actor, who’s now 62, revealed it wasn’t quite as big of a hit in his home country.

READ MORE: Hugh Grant unrecognisable in new Wonka film as fans ‘already having nightmares’

More than five decades since its release, the ex-child star is now leading a completely different life away from the limelight — working as a tax lawyer.

Reuniting for an interview with his co-stars to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film in 2021, Michael told WGN Morning News how no one ever recognises him from the film.

He explained: “The film is not famous in Germany. Nobody knew of the film until the version with Johnny Depp came out [in 2005].

“So when I tell people I was a part of the Willy Wonka movie, nobody knows.”

In a previous appearance on This Morning, the retired actor revealed he never expected the movie to really go anywhere.

“I just went down to make this movie, stayed there for a few weeks and I didn’t really know what was going on. I thought, ‘This is just a movie and it will fade away very quickly,'” he said.

But he was proved wrong and with the film withstanding the test of time, Michael still enjoys going to conventions to meet his overseas fans when he’s not at work.

He added: “It’s really fun. It’s a kind of strange, different world for me. I am usually doing taxes, but having fans and being famous in the UK and USA, it’s really great, fantastic.”

While he might not get recognised anymore, Michael took centre stage in one of the most memorable scenes of the film when he plunged into a chocolate river he couldn’t stop drinking from.

But the former actor revealed the scene wasn’t quite as delicious as it looked on screen.

Explaining what really happened, he told the This Morning hosts: “It was cold water old water, terrible stinking water, it had been there for weeks and it was very shallow, just 10cm deep.

“There was a small space of about a square metre where I had to jump in, it was dangerous because the water was not clear.”

In 2005 the film was remade, with Michael’s role being taken on by fellow German national Philip Wiegratz, who retired from acting in 2013.

But now there’s another Wonka movie on the way.

The latest film, set to land in cinemas on December 15 this year, won’t see a return of Augustus Gloop but will instead tell the origin story of Willy Wonka, played by Timothée Chalamet.

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk