Hugh Grant "hated" playing an Oompa-Loompa in 'Wonka'.

The 63-year-old actor stars as the diminutive, orange-faced Lofty in the new movie – a prequel to Roald Dahl's classic story 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' – and admits that he loathed the filmmaking process that enabled animators to capture the appearance of his character.

Hugh told reporters at a press conference for the flick: "It was like a crown of thorns, very uncomfortable.

"I made a big fuss about it. I couldn't have hated the whole thing more."

Hugh explained that his displeasure came from not being certain whether he was supposed to act with his entire body or just through his facial expressions.

The 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' star said: "I never received a satisfactory answer. And frankly, what I did with my body was terrible, and it's all been replaced with an animator."

Hugh later quipped that he is in the wrong profession and only acts because he needs the cash.

The father-of-five said: "I slightly hate (making films) but I have lots of children and need money."

Grant's casting was criticised by some who felt that the part should have gone to an actor with dwarfism but director Paul King insists that the crew were simply trying to honour Dahl's description of the Oompa-Lompas.

He told BBC News: "Dahl describes (the Oompa-Loompas) as no higher than my knee or about the size of a medium size doll.

"We tried to use the iconic look that they came up with in the 1971 movie with the green hair and the orange skin, and merge that with the way Dahl described them, in a way I think they may have done, had they had the technology we have today."