Paul King, the director of ‘Wonka’, has revealed that Timothee Chalamet has an impressive singing voice, comparing it to that of Bing Crosby, the iconic singer of ‘White Christmas’. In an interview with Total Film, King expressed his astonishment upon hearing Chalamet sing, praising his ability to transition between show-stopping numbers and moments of genuine emotion, stating that he was left “amazed” by the actor’s talent. However, despite the inclusion of big song and dance sequences in the film, King emphasizes that ‘Wonka’ should not be categorized as a traditional musical. He elaborates on this point, explaining that while the Oompa Loompas sing frequently in Roald Dahl’s book and poetry is used throughout, he wanted the movie to feel more like a film with songs rather than a full-fledged musical.
Furthermore, King reveals that Chalamet did not have to audition for the role of Willy Wonka. The director asserts that he knew Chalamet was the right choice for the part and that his high school musical performances, which garnered significant online attention, provided further evidence of the actor’s singing and dancing abilities. Rolling Stone magazine quoted King saying, “It was a straight offer because he’s great, and he was the only person in my mind who could do it. But because he’s Timothee Chalamet and his life is so absurd, his high school musical performances are on YouTube and have hundreds of thousands of views. So I knew from stanning for Timmy Chalamet that he could sing and dance really well.”