EXCLUSIVE: Gene Wilder's Loved Ones 'Devastated' Over New 'Wonka' TV Show Backlash
Gene Wilder’s family is said to be taken aback by the reaction of the New 'Wonka' show.
Sept. 25 2026, Published 4:45 p.m. ET
Gene Wilder's loved ones are said to have been left "devastated" by the backlash surrounding a new Wonka reality show using artificial intelligence to recreate the late actor's unmistakable voice, sources have told RadarOnline.com.
The Hollywood icon, who died in 2016 aged 83 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease, has effectively returned as narrator of Netflix's Wonka's Golden Ticket.
'Gene's Loved Ones Are Devastated'
Wilder's loved ones feel 'devastated' by the 'Wonka' AI backlash, according to sources.
The competition series, inspired by Roald Dahl's 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its celebrated 1971 movie adaptation, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, uses AI technology with authorization from Wilder's estate.
A Hollywood source claimed: "Gene's loved ones are devastated that something intended to celebrate this extraordinary character and his legacy has instead generated accusations that his memory is being exploited.
"The decision was never about disrespecting Gene or diminishing what he created. Protecting his dignity and preserving his extraordinary legacy has remained incredibly important to those closest to him.
"They understand why people feel protective of Gene – they feel the same way. What is upsetting and devastating is seeing something connected to him become the center of such an angry debate."
'Ghoulish Misuse Of AI Gene Wilder'
Rusty Goffe returns as the head Oompa Loompa for the new show.
Netflix enlisted AI audio company ElevenLabs to recreate Wilder's voice for the new eight-part Wonka series, which sends 24 Golden Ticket winners into a recreation of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.
Contestants compete in challenges across sets including a chocolate river and Wonkavision studio, with the eventual winner receiving a six-figure annual salary for 30 years.
Rusty Goffe, who appeared in the original movie, has also returned as the head Oompa Loompa. The use of Wilder's voice has nevertheless attracted fierce criticism.
Variety critic Alison Herman described it as a "ghoulish misuse of AI Gene Wilder," while NME's Vicky Jessop wrote: "Just like AI-Gene Wilder, the soul of Wonka's Golden Ticket is missing."
Family Defense and Alzheimer's Legacy
The actor's family defended efforts to protect his dignity and legacy.
Our source added: "The difficulty is that Gene's performance is so beloved that people have an intensely emotional relationship with his voice. Hearing an artificial recreation of it was inevitably going to provoke strong reactions.
"For the family, the painful part is the suggestion that Gene's memory isn't being treated with care. They have worked hard to preserve the person behind Willy Wonka, particularly the dignity with which he lived during his final years."
Wilder's family recently marked World Alzheimer's Day by sharing intimate photographs from the actor's later life, including one showing him in bed and another practicing tap dancing with his wife, Karen Boyer, now 84.
They wrote: "Following World Alzheimer's Day, we continue to honor Gene Wilder, not just for the joy he gave for the world, but for the quiet, courageous battle he fought at home alongside his wife, Karen."
The family added: "Yet, even in his final years, Gene remained young at heart, taking weekly tap dancing classes with Karen and finding moments of pure happiness right until the very end."
Explaining their work preserving his memory, the Wilder family also said: "Protecting his dignity and keeping his spirit alive is why the Gene Wilder Digital Museum exists."
Netflix uses AI to recreate Wilder's famous Willy Wonka voice.
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Gene Wilder's Legendary Career
Netflix sent 24 winners into a recreated Willy Wonka chocolate factory.
Wonka's Golden Ticket premiered on Netflix on Wednesday, September 23, with seven episodes initially released.
Its two-part finale is scheduled to arrive September 30.
Wilder became one of Hollywood's most distinctive comic actors, celebrated for combining eccentric humor with vulnerability and warmth.
Born Jerome Silberman in Milwaukee in 1933, he found fame in Mel Brooks' The Producers before starring in classics including Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.
His collaborations with Richard Pryor, including Silver Streak and Stir Crazy, further cemented his popularity.
Wilder later became an author and largely withdrew from acting.
He died at age 83 in 2016 following complications from Alzheimer's disease, and his portrayal of Willy Wonka remains his defining performance and an enduring global cultural touchstone.
