A 70s child star who was in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was spotted taking a leisurely stroll in Los Angeles and he looked unrecognizable at 66 years old.
He portrayed the character of Mike Teevee, who was one of the competition winners in the popular 1971 movie.
In 2018, the actor also made an appearance on Jeopardy! however he never mentioned his big acting role.
Can you guess who it is? If you guessed Paris Themmen, then you are correct!
The star was recently spotted wearing a faded red T-shirt, dark jeans and gray sneakers. Unlike the other child actors from the movie, Paris stepped away from the limelight. Instead, he did sporadic commercials and helped set up charter flights for backpackers for his company called Access International.
To this day, Paris participates in conventions and loves meeting fans of the popular film.
He recalled what his time on set was really like with The Scholarly Note and shared: "Back in 1971, I was just a young actor trying to make it big. Filming Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was an incredible adventure that brought out the best and worst in me. Working alongside Gene Wilder was a dream come true – his genius and creativity inspired us all."
Despite the great success that the film had, Paris consciously moved out of the acting space. He explained: "After Willy Wonka, I just wanted to be a kid again. I stepped away from acting as a teenager and pursued other interests. It was a difficult decision at first, but it allowed me to live a more normal life."
The actor did acknowledge that he has a bit of regret regarding leaving the industry. He continued: "However, as I grew older, I realized that I missed the thrill of performing and creating content."
As for whether or not Paris ever thought the film would become such a popular classic, he revealed to Fan Boy Nation: "None of us certainly knew how popular the movie would be. As for as why it has longevity, it's because of the script. Mel Stuart the director, as well as Roald Dahl, both had intentions to not talk down to kids and make it as much for the adults as the kids."
He continued: "Just yesterday somebody came up to my table and said, 'Thank goodness my kids like this movie, because I like it too. We both can watch this movie, rather than something insipid.'"
Paris' began his career in the late 60s in New York, where he performed at the Circle in the Square Theatre alongside Irene Papas in the play Iphigenia in Aulis.
He was the understudy for a Broadway musical called Mame. Paris also served as the understudy in the musical The Rothschilds on Broadway and he joined the cast on a national tour.
The actor got a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from New York University and has since worked multiple jobs as a financial advisor, Walt Disney Imagineer and a Real Estate Broker.