RIP
The actress who played Violet Beauregard in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory has died aged 62.
According to reports, Denise Nickerson was admitted to hospital earlier this week with pneumonia and subsequently suffered a seizure. She passed away yesterday (July 10) at approximately 10.30pm Colorado time after her life support was withdrawn.
Denise Nickerson blows up like a blueberry in a scene from the film ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’, 1971. (Photo by Paramount/Getty Images)
TMZ reports that Nickerson was visited by several loved ones yesterday who said their final goodbyes.
The American actress is remembered for her role as Violet in the 1971 musical film with Gene Wilder. She portrayed a girl who blows up into a large blueberry shape after the breaking rules inside Wonka’s factory.
As TMZ reports further, Nickerson had been staying at home and was being cared for by family while she was on some medication. On Monday (July 8) she fell ill and was rushed to hospital where she was later put on life support after having a seizure.
Her family told the website that they had started a GoFundMe page earlier this week to honour Nickerson’s last wishes of being cremated and her ashes being turned into glass artwork.
Nickerson was a regular on TV shows such as Search for Tomorrow, The Brady Bunch, Dark Shadows and The Electric Company. Her last role was Zero To Sixty in 1978.
