| Oompa-Loompas | |
|---|---|
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory race | |
 The Oompa-Loompas in 1971 pictured withGene Wilder asWilly Wonka | |
| First appearance | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory |
| Last appearance | Wonka |
| Created by | Roald Dahl |
| In-universe information | |
| Other name(s) | Oompa Loompas, Whipple-Scrumpets |
| Leader | Willy Wonka |
TheOompa-Loompas are a fictional race of people in theCharlie and the Chocolate Factory franchise based onthe original book byRoald Dahl. In all versions of the story, they are depicted aslittle people who form the workforce ofWilly Wonka's chocolate factory, and are paid incocoa beans. However, their appearance and backstory change depending on the version.
In the first edition ofCharlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Oompa-Loompas are depicted as dark-skinnedAfrican pygmies. This was the source of controversy, and in 1970 theNAACP criticised the story and stated the Oompa-Loompas had overtones of slavery. Dahl insisted the Oompa-Loompas had no racist intent, and rewrote the book, changing the Oompa-Loompa's skin colour to white and changing the origin of the Oompa-Loompas from Africa to the made-up "Loompaland".[1] The second design was drawn by British illustratorFaith Jaques.[2]
In the1971 movie, the Oompa-Loompas are depicted as having orange skin, greenpompadour-like hairstyles, and sporting brown shirts and whitedungarees.[1] They were portrayed bydwarf actors Rudy Borgstaller,George Claydon,Malcolm Dixon,Rusty Goffe, Ismed Hassan, Norman McGlen,Angelo Muscat, Pepe Poupee, Marcus Powell, and Albert Wilkinson.[3]
In the2005 movie, the Oompa-Loompas are all identical, and they sportspace age jumpsuits. They were all played by Kenyan-British actorDeep Roy.[4]
In the 2023 prequelWonka, the Oompa-Loompas are embodied by the solitary "Lofty", who was portrayed byHugh Grant.[5] Grant's appearance matches that of the 1971 movie's Oompa-Loompas, although his character's shortness and orange complexion was made with digital effects.[6]
The Oompa-Loompas were one of the main inspirations forDespicable Me'sMinions.[7]
In 2017, the spider speciesMyrmecium oompaloompa was named after the Oompa-Loompas. The name comes from the fact that they were first discovered oncocoa plantations inBrazil.[8]
In 2023, American musicianJagwar Twin released the singleBad Feeling (Oompa Loompa). The song utilises the lyrics and melody from the refrain of the Oompa-Loompa songs in the 1971 film.[9] The song reached #36 on the USHot Rock & Alternative Songs and #33 on thePop Airplay.[10][11]
In 2024,Willy's Chocolate Experience, an unlicensed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory event, was held inGlasgow,Scotland. An image of a disgruntled and weary-looking Oompa-Loompa[Note 1] played by actress Kirsty Paterson went viral and subsequently became aninternet meme.[12]
Leading up to the US 2024 presidential election, U.S. PresidentDonald Trump, sparked globalinternet memes after comparisons to the stereotypical Oompa-Loompa look, targeting his supposed “fluorescent eyebrows” and “orange tempered skin”.[13]
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