Fourteen-year-old actress Calah Lane had a 2023 to remember: she starred as Noodle in Wonka and scored a Critics’ Choice Awards nomination for her role. We got to FaceTime with Calah to learn about working with Timothée Chalamet, feel her sparkling personality, and learn about BTS moments on set.
If you haven’t seen the film yet, we’ll set up the plot: Wonka tells the origin story of Willy Wonka, the same character from the 1964 Roald Dahl novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” in his early days as a chocolatier. Wonka stars Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka and is the third live-action film based on the original novel, following the Gene Wilder version in 1971 and the 2005 version starring Johnny Depp.
“I love Willy Wonka so much, it’s so cool. I love how Roald Dahl created that.”
Calah plays Noodle, an orphan girl who becomes Wonka’s assistant. The film also stars Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Grant, and Olivia Coleman. Wonka became an instant hit when it was released, surpassing $600 million globally in the box office.
Calah has been in the entertainment industry since she was four years old, getting her start in commercials. She had her breakout role in 2021, starring as young Laurel in This is Us. Calah was nominated for a 2023 Critics’ Choice Award in the category of Best Young Actor/Actress for her stellar performance in Wonka. She was also nominated for the 55th NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Youth Performance in a Motion Picture. Calah shared with us that she had originally seen the Johnny Depp version of the Willy Wonka film, and then dove into the Gene Wilder version and the books by Roald Dahl after booking the gig.
Consider this:
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions while on set, whether it be about your lines or your character or just the process itself.
We had to ask Calah what it was like working with Timothée Chalamet and she said they instantly became best friends, first meeting over Zoom even before she booked the role. She even revealed to us that she taught him the Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance on set. Calah said she learned a lot as an actress from him, including the importance of asking questions about scenes and your character.
“I loved how he [Timothée] would always stay in the atmosphere of the character. He would always be so happy and everything would be so light.”
Wonka is available now on Digital and on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Thank you, Calah, for your time and FaceTiming with Young Entertainment! Make sure to follow her on Instagram at @calahlane. Watch the interview, where we ask her more questions about the audition process, Noodle’s GRWM routine, her favorite candy, and more. Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment.
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