Peter Ostrum was just 14 when he starred as Charlie Bucket in the 1971 classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory alongside Gene Wilder. Though his paycheck at the time was “paltry,” he still earns small royalties today—around $8 to $9 every three months from TV broadcasts. The film initially had lukewarm reviews and a quiet release, earning only about $4 million, but gained cult status in the 1980s thanks to repeated TV airings. Instead of pursuing a film career—turning down a three-movie deal—Peter chose a completely different path, becoming a veterinarian. He used his earnings from the movie to buy a horse and went on to earn a veterinary doctorate from Cornell. Peter credits a childhood experience watching a vet at work as the inspiration to follow that career.