Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory star Denise Nickerson has died aged 62.
The US actress played golden ticket winner Violet Beauregarde in the 1971 film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s bestselling novel, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
She died on Wednesday night, her family said.
Her son Joshua and daughter-in-law Jasmine made the announcement on Facebook, with a message simply reading: “She’s gone.”
Nickerson (second on the left) and her Willy Wonka castmates reunite to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1971 film.
According to a GoFundMe page set up by her family to appeal for help to cover the actress’s “death expenses”, Nickerson had been unwell due to a combination of seizures and a bout of pneumonia, worsened by a stroke she suffered in June 2018.
Following the stroke, Nickerson was cared for by her son and his wife, her only immediate family. Jasmine Nickerson is expecting her first child later this year.
Nickerson’s first major role was in the vampire drama series Dark Shadows, playing several characters from 1968 to 1970.
She then went on to star in the Dahl classic, starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka.
Nickerson’s character Violet was one of the children, including Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Mike Teavee – as well as Charlie Bucket – who manage to get their hands on the golden tickets in the Wonka Bars.
Her character ignores factory owner Wonka’s warnings and chews an experimental three-course meal gum, and Violet transforms into a large blueberry.
