Peter Ostrum, who played Charlie Bucket in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, reportedly still receives royalty payments for his role, more than five decades after the movie's release. The 67-year-old former actor, who turned his back on acting to become a vet, earns between $10 and $11 every three months from the film.
Ostrum was just 14 when he starred alongside Gene Wilder in the classic adaptation of Roald Dahl's book. Despite the film's enduring popularity, Ostrum turned down a lucrative three-film deal after its release to focus on his studies, eventually specialising in treating cattle and horses.
Reflecting on his brief acting career in a 2014 interview, Ostrum said: 'Looking back, my pay cheque was paltry, but it was during filming that I really became interested in medicine. So I bought my first horse with my earnings and that started my current career path as a vet.' He added that the film 'died a quiet death' initially, only gaining cult status after its video release a decade later.
Ostrum retired from his Countryside Veterinary Clinic in Lowville, New York, in September 2023. Meanwhile, other child stars from the film, such as Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt) and Paris Themmen (Mike Teavee), have continued to engage with their roles, co-narrating a musical parody at the Edinburgh Fringe.
