Michael and the chocolate factory

Some people believe that the character Willy Wonka in the recently released film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has similarities to the Pop King.

Johnny Depp, who plays Willy Wonka in the film, said he was surprised that this group of viewers feels there are similarities between his role and Michael Jackson’s character. He says that the character of Wonka in this film was not copied from the Pop King’s persona.

Johnny Depp’s dignified voice in the film, his pale face, hair reaching his shoulders, unusual and mixed outfits combining masculine and feminine behavior, have reminded some viewers of Michael Jackson.

Depp recently told reporters that he modeled Wonka’s way of speaking based on what he remembers from his childhood about the tone of children’s TV show hosts.

He also said that the character of Willy Wonka in this film is an antisocial character, whereas Michael Jackson is not.

Johnny Depp said that in his opinion, if there is someone who could be compared to Willy Wonka, it would be Howard Hughes—the late American film director who was a reclusive and controlling person and also hated Germans.

Director Tim Burton also believes there is a fundamental difference between Michael and Willy, and that Willy Wonka could never be reminiscent of Michael:

“There’s a big difference. Michael Jackson loves children, but Wonka can’t stand them.”

Burton, while confirming Johnny Depp’s point about Wonka’s resemblance to Howard Hughes, said that Willy Wonka could also be compared to Charles Foster Kane in the film Citizen Kane—a very talented but suffering person who had retreated into his own world.

Source: eMJey / AP