One of the biggest shows to come out at the tail end of 2022 was Wednesday, the Netflix hit series spin-off from the classic and kooky Addams Family series. In the Addams Family, we have iconic characters like Gomez Addams, Morticia Addams, Thing, Pugsley Addams, Cousin Itt, Uncle Fester, and of course, Wednesday Addams.
In Netflix’s series Wednesday, we are able to follow Wednesday Addams (played by Jenna Ortega, who has recently left the Scream franchise) as she enrols into Nevermore Academy. She is forced to attend the same school that her parents went to after she went a little too far, protecting Pugsley from bullies at her previous high school. While at Nevermore, however, things take a dark turn with an evil lurking upon the town of Jericho, and it is up to Wednesday and her newly formed visions to save the town, as well as Nevermore and the students within.
The show was created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, it stars Jenna Ortega as the titular character, with Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Emma Myers, Joy Sunday, Georgie Farmer, Naomi J. Ogawa, Christina Ricci, and Moosa Mostafa. Of course, the incredible Tim Burton’s name is also all over the production, with the Nightmare Before Christmas director directing four out of the eight episodes.
Recently, Ortega spoke out about one of the characters in the show, calling them a “creepy little freak”.
Jenna Ortega has earned massive recognition for her breakout roles, which have now become iconic in the entertainment industry. The actress had dreams of performing since the age of three, and by the time she turned nine, her aspirations became her reality. Her breakthrough into Hollywood came with the titular role in the Disney Channel sitcom Stuck in the Middle. But, Ortega would not remain a Disney star for long, in fact, she would take her career in an entirely different direction.
Jenna has notably taken on roles in various horror films, including the contemporary Scream series, where she portrayed Tara Carpenter. Other notable credits include X, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, and Insidious 2.
Jenna has consistently gravitated towards darker genres, citing her fascination with elements that possess an unsettling quality and reveal unconventional beauty upon closer examination. She just wrapped Beetlejuice 2 where she will play the daughter of Lydia Deetz alongside Micheal Keaton, Catherina O’Hara, and Winona Ryder, and will be starring in the A24 horror flick Death of a Unicorn alongside Paul Rudd.
Expressing her attraction to these darker roles and storylines, Jenna remarked, “I am drawn to things that possess an unsettling quality, those that, upon closer examination, reveal a lack of traditional beauty. I am captivated by elements that evoke discomfort. They offer a fascinating array of storytelling possibilities. Moreover, portraying characters perpetually in a victim role provides me with an intriguing challenge in crafting unique personalities for each of them.”
The biggest milestone in Jenna’s career was her role in the hit Netflix series Wednesday, a character and show which has now become synonymous with her name.
In the show, she took on the iconic character Wednesday Addams, earning widespread acclaim for her performance. The series itself achieved immense popularity, garnering over 250 million views worldwide, solidifying its position as one of the most-watched shows in Netflix’s history.
Wednesday’s success is comparable to another Netflix sensation, Stranger Things, with Wednesday boasting 1.4 billion watch hours, slightly surpassing Stranger Things’ 1.35 billion for season 4. As Stranger Things approaches its fifth and final season, many have already dubbed Wednesday as the official successor to the series.
Related: Netflix’s New ‘Wednesday’ “Replacement” Speaks Out, “I Didn’t Realize People Didn’t Know”
Wednesday has been making quite a few headlines as of late, many of which have to do with drama regarding now ex-cast. This most recent piece of news, however, comes from Jenna herself.
Popverse posted a video of Ortega commenting on her character, Wednesday Addams, at New York Comic Con, where she discussed the impact that the character had on its massive audience.
“She’s a creepy, little freak,” stated Ortega. “But her impact is absolutely unparalleled. I’ve never seen a normal person bring a group together like this, and create a family like this, and create a legacy like this, and that’s just a testament that we need weirdos in the world, and they’re what make the world go around.”
You can watch the full clip below!
Ortega has been credited for bringing a lot of fame to the series, with her youthful energy pulling in a much younger, Generation Z crowd, which we can thank her dancing skills for, as her choreographed dance in episode four went on to be a viral sensation, showing that there are millions that connect to the idea of being unique, or a sort of outcast.
Jenna will certainly be reprising her role in Wednesday season two, which will be filming in Ireland beginning in 2024. The actress has had to leave some of her old cast mates behind, however. Percy Hynes White, who was being set up to be the love interest for Wednesday has backed out of the series due to Netflix writing him out.
Related: Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Fans Can Now Audition, Multiple Roles Revealed
He played bruiting painter Xavier Thorpe. The actor did suffer alleged allegations of over-serving a woman. Those allegations have since been deleted; however, Netflix still made the choice to keep him off the show.
Thora Birch also made headlines after revealing why she walked off the set of season one, never finishing her role, which was reportedly due to creative differences. However, she did initially guise it as initially being due to a family emergency.
Wednesday season one is available to stream on Netflix.
Are you a fan of Wednesday? Will you be watching season 2?