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's The Golden Ticket, there was one striking difference – the smell wasn't atrocious.
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smell → survive → show
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.
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that → ribbone → novel
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Goffe, now 77 but very much still acting, says: '55 years ago, it was just dirty water.
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it → speak → Mail
The crew were throwing cigarette ends and bits of old script into it.
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crew → throw → it
Then they poured real sugar and real cream in it.
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they → pour → it
'After a few days under hot lights, everything started smelling terribly.
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everything → start → lights
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.
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duo → start → 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 just £2.2million and only performed modestly at the box office, involved though.
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which → have → office
British actor Rusty Goffe, 77, has reprised his role as an Oompa Loompa for new Netflix reality show Wonka's The Golden Ticket - 55 years after the original film
Goffe says his life changed forever when he was cast in Willy Wonka's workforce (pictured, left on set in 1971).
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he → reprise → 1971
Now, Netflix execs have persuaded the star to get back in the green wig for their reality show based on Roald Dahl's original book (pictured on the right)
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execs → persuade → right
The Chocolate River which featured in the original film was used like a dustbin by crew, says Rusty - and the real cream and sugar quickly smelled bad under hot studio lights
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cream → feature → lights
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.
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who → play → estate
Many fans of the original 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 more than a little 'creepy'.
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narration → tune → creepy
Did it spook Goffe when he heard a version of Wilder's voice again for the first time?
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he → spook → 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'.
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it → think → ?
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.
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decades → don → paint
Of the original cinematic chocolate factory workforce, only Goffe and Lancashire-born Albert Wilkinson, who's now 88, are still alive.
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who → bear → workforce
Wilder died in 2016 at the age of 83 but an AI-generated version of his voice is used to narrate the new Netflix series - which some fans have suggested sounds 'creepy'
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fans → die → series
'I could feel the other Oompa Loompas there with me.
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I → feel → me
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, Germany, in 1970, he admits.
'
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he → play → 1970
I was 22 when the first one was made and it was my first ever movie.
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it → make → ?
I didn't know what to do but I was guided by the director and the other Oompah Loompahs - we called them 'Oomphs'.
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we → know → them
The famously soft-spoken star's portrayal of candy man Wonka ended up being the role he was most famous for.
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he → end → Wonka
Goffe says: 'I loved him.
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I → say → him
He knew what he wanted - but he was gentle.
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he → know → what
That's all I can say.'
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I → 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.
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landing → bear → life
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.
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which → include → 2005
Netflix also snapped up Rusty's son Ben, 33, pictured left, to join the latest incarnation of the Oompa Loompas
While the original film featured ten actors of short stature, the Netflix version includes a much more diverse cast of characters, including 6ft 8' Australian actor Mitchell Marion
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.'
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that → snap → Marion
He says mixing things up was a 'great idea'.
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mixing → say → things
'I loved it.
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I → love → 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.
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you → come → makeup
Alongside a more ambrosial chocolate river, modern advances meant that the famous Oompa Loompa get-up was a little easier to deal with.
'
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up → mean → river
'Every five minutes he would scream "More powder boys! There's a break...put more orange powder on".
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he → scream → powder
By the end of the day, you had to literally scrape it off.'
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you → have → it
He adds: 'And this time the wigs fitted.
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wigs → add → ?
55 years ago, they thought every dwarf had the same sized head.
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dwarf → think → head
This time the green wigs fitted like a glove.
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wigs → fit → glove
Goffe didn't like the footwear though.
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Goffe → like → footwear
'We had to dance in heavy boots, not like the flat ballet pumps we had 55 years ago.'
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we → have → pumps
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
