Actor Duayen Johnson broke in his Instagram post in which he told how Willie Willow could be in the film by Tim Burton 2005:
This morning I introduced my children with one of my most favorite films "Willy Wamka and Chocolate Factory". They really liked it, now they expect a room from me full of chocolate and candy.
A bit of a cool story: In the early 2000s, Tim Burton directed by Tim Burton believed that I could play Willy Wamka in Charlie and Chocolate Factory. I remember, as I thought: "Negotha, I am in business." But it was many years ago, when I just started in Hollywood, without having any acting experience and huge cash charges behind my back so that I was entrusted with this role. Of course, she left Johnny Depp, which at that time was the largest world star. The rest is history.
But the fact that Tim looked at me (I do not think that longer than 7 seconds) for this role, there was a lot for me. At that time, I just broke into this business and did not know what awaits me in the future. And I will always raise a glass for dreams that did not come true.
A few years earlier, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT published an article in which, among other things, was also reported on the selection of Burton actors for roles in Charlie and Chocolate Factory. The director considered Johnson's candidacy longer than 7 seconds. He was the second contender for the role, if Depp could not take part in the film.