What happened to ’70s child star Peter Ostrum? Inside his life now after quitting Hollywood 55 years ago

Peter Ostrum rocketed to fame as Roald Dahl’s beloved protagonist Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who wins the opportunity to visit the magical and secretive chocolate factory owned by eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. 

Clutching his golden ticket, Peter made his way onto the set of the 1971 film adaptation, starring alongside Gene Wilder as the titular Willy Wonka. Peter told the Daily Mirror in 2018 that Gene “treated people with respect and dignity” and even provided coaching for the young actor. 

Peter won over audiences and executives alike, reportedly turning down a three-film deal and opting instead for a private, ‘normal’ life.

The role of Charlie Bucket marked his first and last film appearance after a 12-year-old Peter was scouted at a children’s theatre in Cleveland, Ohio.

Shortly after Peter returned home from filming, his family purchased a horse – a present that would help him find his professional calling.

As he got to know the local veterinarian, Peter realized that the animal doctor loved what he did. He told the American Veterinary Medical Association: “My father was a lawyer, and I really didn’t have a clue what he did all day. But I knew exactly what the veterinarian did. Someone making a living from something he enjoyed so much really sparked my interest.”

Peter is married to Loretta Ostrum, a passionate painter who has celebrated stories and farms from her local area of Tug Hill, and has exhibited with the Central NY Watercolor Soceity, North County Arts Council and Lewis County Community Arts.

She and Peter share two children: daughter Helenka Ostrum and son Leif Ostrum.

Peter enjoyed a long career as a large animal veterinarian, earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1984 from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

He retired in 2023 after decades spent working as a vet in New York and now enjoys a quieter life with his wife and two children.