He is in demand by Star Wars fans, Harry Potter fans and even Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory fans but nobody would have thought that Rusty Goffe would ever have such a fantastic life when it all began in Herne Bay in Kent. "It all started when I was born," said Rusty with a laugh, That is typical of the man who has found fame in Star Wars, Harry Potter and countless other major films although he is just 4ft 2ins tall.
"When I was born the doctor looked at me and said, 'what the hell is this?' which was not very kind but I guess he knew straight away that I wasn't your average baby. Although things were not right I grew fairly normally until I was about seven then everyone else seemed to keep growing and I didn't. I'm not going to say I wasn't upset about it because I was and I even blamed my mother for having me for a while."
"It wasn't just my size but the fact that I was so different that I didn't keep pals for very long, their mothers didn't seem to like them spending time with me. One even told my mother that she had found a super school for me not too far away. It turned out to be an asylum."
In 2021 we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and it was that film which gave Rusty his first big break. "I was an Oompa Loompa and it was magical. There were just ten of us Oompa Loompas and those characters are still very famous today. Many people mention the Oompa Loompas before they even mention Gene Wilder who was a wonderful man by the way.
That was just the start though, there were even bigger things to come as Rusty became part of the Star Wars legend and then the Harry Potter legend.
"The journey began in Herne Bay and I have never forgotten those days and I have to smile when I think about the surprised doctor when I was born. If only i could have talked at the time. When he asked, 'What the hell is it?' I could have told him. 'A newborn Oompa Loompa!'"