What happened to the boy from ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’?

Tim Burton’s magical style turned Roald Dahl’s children’s novel into an instant cinematic classic. ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ left a lasting impression on the childhoods of many viewers, reviving the humorous acidity characteristic of British literature from the past century. Inheriting the trans-generational Dickensian tradition, the film used this to critique the bitterness of society. Both children and adults were portrayed in a grotesque manner, exposing flaws rather than virtues - often bordering on discomfort and violence - before the eyes of a fortunate child who discovered the golden ticket to an industrial dream world inside the wrapper of a chocolate bar.

Charlie: from Wonka chocolate to autism and surgery

It was 2005, and the eccentric Willy Wonka was brought back to cinematic life by Johnny Depp, following in the fantastical footsteps of Gene Wilder in the 1971 original. December 2023 has since seen it revisited once again in the prequel featuring Timothée Chalamet as the charismatic factory owner in his youth. Viewers may long for the presence of the sweet charm of Charlie Bucket, played by Freddie Highmore two decades ago, however, he is not required in the build-up to the Dahl story.

But for Highmore, far from becoming one of those actors who achieve success as children only to condemn themselves to premature oblivion, he has remained a significant presence in the industry, taking on important roles in both television and film.

There have been so many roles since for Highmore that some may have already forgotten he was the one portraying Charlie in Burton’s film. Perhaps his most recognized role is that of Shaun Murphy, the young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome who takes the lead in The Good Doctor. The story of how this young man from a complicated childhood becomes a part of the team at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital has been awarded and acknowledged worldwide, contributing significantly to Highmore’s fame.

Way Down and The Spiderwick Chronicles are among his other well-known works.

Charlie’s Spanish connection

Although born in London, the actor has expressed his love for Spain on multiple occasions. In fact, he speaks Spanish very fluently. The reason for his proficiency dates back to his university days when he studied Spanish and Arabic philology. He even worked as a translator at a law firm in Madrid under a scholarship. Those months in the lively city greatly contributed to his mastery of the Spanish language.

This was demonstrated a few years ago, when Highmore made a light-hearted jest to explain his proficiency in the language: the British actor claiming to speak and support the Spanish national football team because his grandmother was Galician. The joke went too far when the mayor of Zapateira, the place he chose to lend coherence to the fabrication, named him an honorary citizen. Young Charlie would never have been so mischievous.