From red halter tops to pastel pink corduroy suits and pearls, Timothée Chalamet is known for his bold red carpet looks. Still, the actor’s outfit choice for the Tokyo premiere of Wonka on Monday has proven particularly divisive on social media.
Starring as Willy Wonka in the prequel of Roald Dahl’s beloved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the 27-year-old appeared to pay homage to the character in a purple two-piece latex look by Prada.
With his lavender shirt and matching pants, Chalamet certainly stood out next to his suited co-stars, including Hugh Grant. He accessorized the outfit with a diamond necklace, matching ring and chunky white Chelsea boots.
However, his attire earned some unusual comparisons on social media, including a “grape flavored condom” and an Oompa-Loompa “from the future.”
“Does he plan on working with chemicals later?” asked Russ.
“Timothée is so good looking, we often forgive him for his clothes,” wrote Anjali.
Anita Dick said the Dune star “tries too hard,” while @stuntingpretty3 suggested the suit is “AI generated.”
“Sometimes he looks good, sometimes he doesn’t… huh,” said maayu.
Hellojerome agreed, writing: “Why people revere his appearance is beyond my comprehension.”
However, other users defended Chalamet’s outfit, with Goldi commenting: “I think he looks stunning in this color!”
“Nice outfit and a good smile to go with it,” agreed k blaze.
“Looking sleek as always,” said Blaqboi, while H wrote: “Sweets aren’t the only temptation tonight.”
Newsweek has reached out to Timothée Chalamet for comment via email.
Chalamet’s red carpet ensemble isn’t the only thing to cause controversy regarding Wonka. The film faced boycott calls last week, after Chalamet appeared in a Saturday Night Live! sketch featuring a joke about Hamas.
On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing at least 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages. Israel declared war and subsequently fired heavy airstrikes on Gaza. As of November 15, over 12,700 Palestinians have been killed, while 1.7 million people in Gaza have been displaced due to fighting.
The joke did not go down well on social media, with Chalamet accused of “mocking genocide.”
Greg Doherty/Stringer/WireImage
Chalamet is the latest actor to take on the role of Willy Wonka, following in the footsteps of Gene Wilder in the 1971 musical version, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and Johnny Depp in the 2005 adaptation, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The previous films were both critically and commercially successful, leading to high expectations for Wonka. An origin story of the famous factory owner, the film “tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.”
Alongside Chalamet as Willy Wonka and Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa, the movie also stars Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, The Shape of Water actress Sally Hawkins, Four Weddings and a Funeral star Rowan Atkinson and Sex Education’s Rakhee Thakrar.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
