‘Wonka’ Breakout Star Calah Lane on Becoming Noodle and Convincing Timothée Chalamet He Can Sing
variety.comKatcy Stephan When Calah Lane was born, her umbilical cord had a knot in it. She excitedly shares this “fun” fact over a Zoom call with Variety, with the unbridled enthusiasm only a 14-year-old could have. “I mean, that’s kind of sad,” she admits. “But I survived and everything’s good!” She’s not wrong – things are good for her right now.
Barely a teenager, she’s already crafted an impressive résumé, making her film debut in 2019’s “The Day Shall Come” and picking up small roles on series like “This Is Us” and “Family Reunion.” This year, she found her breakout role in Paul King’s “Wonka,” starring Timothée Chalamet in an origin story of Roald Dahl’s beloved chocolatier character.
Lane plays Noodle, a precocious but jaded orphan who teams up with the idealistic Willy to make magic (and chocolate, of course).
In conversation with Variety a day after her nomination for a Critics’ Choice Award for best young actor or actress, Lane breaks down her experience on “Wonka,” from being inspired to write and direct by King, to convincing Chalamet he’s actually a great singer. What was the audition process like? When I first got the audition, it said “Untitled Project.” So I had no idea what I was auditioning for.
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