Yahoo Sport Wonka director says Chalamet has a "beautiful singing voice"
Wonka will give Timothée Chalamet a chance to showcase his musical talent, as director Paul King reveals the actor has a "beautiful" singing voice.
King, who sat behind the camera for Paddington and its universally adored 2017 follow-up, directs the prequel on the extravagant chocolatier created by Roald Dahl.
With Chalamet in the title role, the film isn't exactly a musical — don't expect characters to just sing every little bit of dialogue — but it definitely features songs, including a rendition of 'Pure Imagination' from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder as Wonka.
"The Oompa Loompas sing a lot in the book, and Dahl always uses poetry. But I didn't want it to just become a musical where people are singing dialogue to each other for no discernible reason," King told Total Film during an interview for their September issue.
Related: Willow star criticises Hugh Grant's Wonka casting
"I felt like it was more like a movie with songs than a musical."
He then went on to compare Chalamet to crooner Bing Crosby, gushing over the Dune star's voice and hinting at the actor singing several songs.
"[Chalamet]'s got a beautiful singing voice," the filmmaker said.
"The person it reminded me of was Bing Crosby. There's quite a range, because it does go from a couple of bigger, showstopper-y sort of things, to moments of real, pure emotion and he can do it all… I'm going to sound like a crazed fan."
Related: Wonka director reveals why Timothée Chalamet didn’t audition for role
King wasn't the only one with praise to spare for Chalamet. His Wonka co-star Olivia Colman, who portrays a villain in the film, similarly hyped the film for fans, hinting at Chalamet doing "something different".
"He's doing something different. It's such a treat. He's so beautiful on-screen. He's magical," Colman said back in December.
Wonka will be released in cinemas on December 15.
You Might Also Like