‘Willy Wonka' child star reveals how much he still earns from the iconic movie
Fifty-four years after 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' hit theaters in 1971, Peter Ostrum revealed how much he makes from the movie today.
Ostrum, 67, who played Charlie Bucket, the lucky winner of the golden ticket, shared in 2018 while at the Snowtown Film Festival that he received $8 to $9 in royalties every three months.
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8 Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum, and Gene Wilder in 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'
Courtesy Everett Collection
The money comes from the film being shown on television.
Regardless of the monetary amount, Ostrum felt lucky to have had the experience.
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8 Peter Ostrum in the 2023 documentary 'Remembering Gene Wilder.'
Courtesy Everett Collection
'Everybody could be so lucky to have an experience like this and then to go in a completely different direction,' he told the 'Today' show in 2015.
'Willy Wonka' was based on Roald Dahl's 1964 book, and followed five kids who won a golden ticket to tour a magical factory belonging to Wonka (Gene Wilder).
The project's initial release made $4 million at the box office.
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8 Peter Ostrum in the 1971 film.
Courtesy Everett Collection
After the movie, Ostrum stepped away from Hollywood, but still looks back at his time as a child star fondly.
'There was a little bit of fanfare but not much, and the film died a quiet death,' Ostrum said during a 2018 interview with the Daily Mirror. 'Back then, when the film came out, there was no red-carpet premiere. I was in my hometown in Ohio. It had lukewarm reviews and people forgot about it.'
'It wasn't until video 10 years later that it resurfaced and it took on a life of its own,' he added. 'We had no idea at the time that it would have any kind of success at all, so it's pretty neat that it is still so loved.'
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8 Peter Ostrum poses at The Hollywood Show in 2014.
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Ostrum originally nabbed the role of Charlie after being spotted by talent agents at a children's theater show in Cleveland, Ohio.
He had 10 days to leave his hometown and move to Munich, Germany, to shoot the movie with Wilder for five months.
Ostrum reflected on his time with the legendary actor, who died at age 83 in 2016.
8 Peter Ostrum in a scene from 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'
Courtesy Everett Collection
The retired veterinarian said Wilder 'treated people with respect and dignity' and took on a fatherly role.
The 'Blazing Saddles' alum even coached Ostrum in acting.
The former actor said Wilder's death was 'like losing a parent,' even though the two hadn't kept in touch.
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8 Gene Wilder and Peter Ostrum.
Courtesy Everett Collection
Once filming wrapped, Ostrum spent a week in California after being offered a three-movie deal. He ultimately decided to turn it down.
Ostrum's parents had bought him a horse to celebrate the release of 'Willy Wonka,' and he realized his passion lay with animals.
'This person really enjoyed what he did for a living,' he told the American Veterinary Medical Association in an interview. 'My father was a lawyer, and I really didn't have a clue what he did all day. But I knew exactly what the veterinarian did. Someone making a living from something he enjoyed so much really sparked my interest.'
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8 Peter Ostrum shares a laugh while on stage.
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'I thought, if that doesn't work, then maybe I could do something else,' Ostrum added. 'But I would always have in the back of my mind, 'you should've tried to get into veterinary school.' If I didn't pursue that, I'd always kick myself.'
After the original film, Johnny Depp took on the role of Willy Wonka for the 2005 movie 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,' and Timothée Chalamet revived the eccentric candy man in 2023's 'Wonka.'
8 Peter Ostrum, Jack Albertson in the 1971 hit movie musical.
Courtesy Everett Collection
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'You can't kill Wonka,' Ostrum mused during a virtual reunion with Yahoo in 2021. 'It just gets played over and over again, whether the original or the remake with Johnny Depp. And that brought attention back to our film. Kids saw Johnny Depp's version, their parents said, 'You need to see the original.''
'Anything that talks about Wonka is good for the Wonka story,' he noted. 'It's a great story and it needs to be retold, regardless of who's producing it or who's making it.'
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