 Ostrum was in the sixth grade and performing at the Cleveland Play House children 's theatre , when he was noticed by talent agents who were searching nationwide for the actor to portray Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory . The agents took Polaroid photos of Ostrum and recorded him reading from the original novel , then returned to New York . Two months later Ostrum was called to New York for a screen test where he sang " My Country , ' Tis of Thee " , and a month after that he was contacted and given ten days to prepare to leave for filming . 
