Michael Bollner

Michael Böllner (born 14 September 1958) is a German tax accountant and former child actor known for playing Augustus Gloop in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

Life and career

Born and raised in Munich, West Germany, Böllner was cast for the role of Augustus Gloop in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, with much of the film being shot in his hometown. Being the only German among the five main child actors, he spoke little English during the film's production. Following the completion of Willy Wonka, Böllner had a few minor roles on German television, but his father prioritized education over his acting career. Consequently, Böllner gave up acting and became a tax accountant in Munich. By 2005, he had married and divorced.

Due to Willy Wonka being infrequently screened in Germany, Böllner was largely unaware of its cultural impact until the 1990s, when fellow cast members reconnected with him via a German newspaper advertisement reading "Augustus, Show a Sign". Since then, he has regularly appeared with other cast members at fan conventions. Following the death of Gene Wilder in 2016, Böllner expressed regret about not talking more with him after improving his English skills.

In 2023, after publishers removed the term "fat" to describe Augustus Gloop in the Roald Dahl Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book on which Willy Wonka was based, Böllner publicly defended the original text and called the change unnecessary.