Peter Ostrum | Veterinarian

Only 12 years old, when selected for the role in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Peter Ostrum was a one-hit-wonder. Despite having a starring role in the movie, he opted not to sign up for three more films and decided to give up his career in theater and movies. It is not known why he did that, but he has started a tradition where he talks about Willy Wonka to school children. When the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released, people’s interest in him was once more piqued. Was the stress perhaps too much? After all, he was just a kid then and had to undergo training for three hours a day.

Ostrum is now a large animal veterinarian and has made his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Cornell University of Medicine to good use. He practices in Lowville, New York, where he lives with his wife and two children.