When it comes to making movies on the grandest scale for the widest audience, the below-the-line artists and technicians bring the magic to life. Not only can you not see these people on the screen, but oftentimes, their contributions are indiscernible to the average viewer. ForDeep Roy, a veteran actor, stunt performer, and puppeteer in the film industry for decades, his work was destined to be taken for granted.You likely don’t know his name, but you’ve certainly seen Royin multiple things, even if he’s covered in sheets of makeup and costumes. Roy is a versatile utility player who helped bring a sense of tactile authenticity to the worlds ofStar Wars,Star Trek, andCharlie and the Chocolate Factory, and it’s about time he received his flowers.
Deep Roy Brought Yoda to Life in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’
Standing at 4'4, the Kenyan-British actor became a mainstay in the Hollywood studio system as someone who could fill any hole within an elaborate sci-fi and fantasy world. Whether he’s controlling a puppet, an animatronic, or playing an alien or creature, Roy will have you covered. Now 67 years old, he has slowed down in productivity, but Roy has a lifetime’s worth of acting and stunt credits to his name, with his first major break coming inThe Empire Strikes Back, thelegendary follow-up toStar Warsthat further expanded uponGeorge Lucas' imaginative world by raising the stakes in the darkest ways possible.
After working on various stage productions and television shows in the UK, Roy found a job that would prove to be more than just an ordinary gig:playing thestand-in for Jedi Master YodainThe Empire Strikes Back.Although he is uncredited, behind-the-scenes photographs show Roy being fitted into the Yoda costume. The character is credited to longtimeMuppetalumFrank Oz, performing the puppet work and voicing the character, but it took an entire team of crew members to turn thispeculiar-looking alien wizardinto a cultural phenomenon and a voice of wisdom and patience. Whenever Yoda walks on the planet Dagobah, this is the product of Roy’s puppet work, getting on his hands and knees inside the costume. Roy is also credited as playing Droopy McCool, one of the gonzo-looking musicians inside Jabba’s palace inReturn of the Jedi, as well as the Tin Man inReturn to Oz.
Tim Burton Made Deep Roy a Star as 165 Oompa Loompas in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’
It wasn’t untilTim Burtongot his hands on the invaluable talents of Deep Roy that the utility man received his due as an unsung contributor to films. He became a mainstayfor the idiosyncratic director, appearing in minor parts inPlanet of the Apes,Big Fish, andCorpse Bride. Roy’s magnum opus as a performer came inCharlie and the Chocolate Factory. The film had a mixed reception from critics and audiences, butRoy’s performance as not one, not two, but 165 Oompa Loompas is the stuff of legend.
In aninterview withEntertainment Weekly, Roy revealed that Burton initially only had him pinned to play five Oompa Loompas, Willy Wonka’s hard-working employees inside his ornate sweet factory. However, this role count quickly increased, and there was no trickery involved.“They’re not computerized – I did each one individually myself,“Roy said. During rehearsals and shoots, Roy would perform all the dance choreography with each of his stand-ins, prompting Burton to crown him as the"hardest working man in showbiz.“For the Augustus Gloop musical set piece, Roy convinced Burton to turn it into an homage to a Bollywood number. As much as Burton’s films started to feel rote during this period,Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’smost inspired momentsarise whenever Roy is performing miracle work as all the Oompa Loompas, giving the film a much-needed vigor and farce.
2009 was a noteworthy year for Roy, providing unmistakable background contributions toTransformers: Revenge of the Fallenas an Egyptian border guard and inJ.J. Abrams' reboot ofStar Trek, where he played Keenser, Scotty’s (Simon Pegg) alien assistant. Covered in extensive makeup and prosthetics,Roy, as he always did, makes this character come to life as something more than just eye candy.Throughout his long and impactful career in filmmaking, we rarely ever heard Roy speak on screen until Season 2 ofEastbound & Down, which saw him give a memorable turn as a hostile Mumbai-born Mexican criminal in theDanny McBridecomedy series.
While the glossy movie stars, visionary directors, and lavish special effects receive most of the praise for our blockbuster success stories,it is the versatile grunt workers like Deep Roy who make these films feel holistic. Today, with most franchise films relying on CGI on the spectacle side, people like Roy become casualties of studios' cost-cutting, explaining why so many effects feel cheap and rushed. Seriously, how has Roy never appeared in a single film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
