Peter Ostrum

Peter Gardner Ostrum (ˈpiːtər_ˈoʊstrəm; born November 1957) is an American veterinarian and former child actor whose only film role was as Charlie Bucket in the 1971 motion picture Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. A native of Cleveland, Ostrum was 12 years old when selected by talent agents for Willy Wonka. Though he enjoyed the experience of shooting the film, he opted not to sign a three-film contract when it was over. After eschewing a career in film and theatre, Ostrum became reluctant to speak about his one starring role. In 1990, he began an annual tradition of speaking to schoolchildren about the film, and he became a subject of interest again when 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released in theaters. Ostrum became interested in horses when he returned from shooting Willy Wonka, and was particularly influenced by the veterinarian that tended to them. Receiving his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984, Ostrum now practices and lives in Lowville, New York, with his wife Loretta (née Lepkowski), and two children: his son, Leif, and daughter, Helenka.