THEN AND NOW: What the stars of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ are doing today

Paramount Pictures/Cindy Ord/Getty Images

The world lost a comedy legend one Monday when the great Gene Wilder died at 83. The actor starred in several acclaimed movies, including "Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles," but his most beloved role was certainly the whimsical lead character of 1971's "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

The classic Roald Dahl adaptation is 45 years old, and a lot has changed since Wonka took the five golden ticket holders on a tour of his out-of-this-world candy shop. 

Here's what the actors who played the five kids — Charlie Bucket, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, and Mike Teavee — as well as an Oompa Loompa, are up to these days. 

Some of the child actors in "Willy Wonka" didn't have many acting roles beyond the classic movie, while others continued to work for years afterward.

Paramount Pictures

From left to right: Augustus Gloop (Michael Bollner), Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson), Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum), Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), and Mike Teavee (Paris Themmen), and, of course, Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in the back. 

Many members of the cast have gotten together to celebrate the movie. Here are the five "kids" celebrating the film's 30th anniversary.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

From left to right: Michael Bollner, Denise Nickerson, Paris Themmen, Julie Dawn Cole, and Peter Ostrum.

Three of them, as well as the film's director, Mel Stuart, and an actor who played an Oompa Loompa, gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary too.

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

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