Gurdeep Roy (born 1957), sometimes credited as Roy Deep, Gordeep Roy, or just Deep Roy, is an actor, stuntman and puppeteer.
Born Mohinder Purba in Nairobi, Kenya, Roy is a 4 ft 4 in (132 centimetre) tall dwarf. Because of his short stature, he has played a variety of unusual characters in his acting career. He has played apes in two movies: Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes and again in the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes (Two roles: One as a young gorilla boy and as the senator's daughter). His most noticeable (and notable) role is playing the Oompa-Loompas in Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Deep had extensive training for the role in dance, yoga, and even some minor instrument playing.
He also had a cameo role in The Haunted Mansion, Corpse Bride (another Tim Burton movie), supplying General Bonesapart's voice. Another notable role was as the "pig-brained Peking Homonculus" or "Mr. Sin", a villain with a distinct appetite for homicide, in the acclaimed Doctor Who story The Talons of Weng-Chiang. In 1979, Roy also played the diminutive chess genius, 'The Klute', in the 2nd season Blake's 7 episode "Gambit".
Deep Roy has also appeared in The X-Files, Flash Gordon, Return To Oz (as the Tin Woodman), Big Fish, The New Avengers, The NeverEnding Story, as the rider of the "racing snail" (credited as "Teeny Weeny") and Return of the Jedi, as Droopy McCool. Also appeared in Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal as an extra puppeteer.
Deep can sometimes be confused with fellow Kenyan actor Kiran Shah.
His given name, Gordeep, means 'God's Light.'
Parents are Indian.
There are 165 Oompa-Loompas in Tim Burton (I)'s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and he plays every one of them. For this role, he had to take Pilates and dance lessons in preparations for the four musical numbers.
Often collaborates with Tim Burton (I).
A true 'Blue Blooded' descendant of India's Maharajah Vinepal, 26 generations removed.
