The Addams Family is one of the most well-known fictional families, and has been around since the late 1930s. In fact, they are still making waves today. With the upcoming Netflix series Wednesday centering on Wednesday Addams, fans will be seeing a side of the teenager that hasn’t really been seen before. Christina Ricci, who portrayed Wednesday in the live-action films in the 1990s, will be returning for an undisclosed part in Wednesday. Star Jenna Ortega is opening up about how terrified she was.
The former Disney star and Scream actress talked to Empire about Wednesday and meeting Christina Ricci, who is well known for her portrayal of Wednesday in the live-action version of The Addams Family. Just like anyone meeting their idol, Jenna Ortega got nervous before meeting Ricci, but nerves floated away when she actually met her:
I felt like I was genuinely having a panic attack when I was told. I was terrified. She’s a really cool lady. I was fine meeting her, but the first time we did a scene together, and she had to see me done up the way she was done up 30 years ago, it was nerve-racking.
It definitely sounds nerve-wracking to be filming a scene dressed as a character that someone else on set was dressed as three decades ago. However, it sounds like everything went fine. If the new Wednesday worked so well with the previous Wednesday, potential viewers can be even more excited for the upcoming series.
Jenna Ortega also mentioned how she tried her best to make the character her own since Christina Ricci’s performance as Wednesday is so iconic. By the looks of the Wednesday trailer, her goal was matched:
It’s really important to me that I wasn’t ripping anyone off. Christina Ricci’s performance is flawlessly done. It’s pitch-perfect, and I wouldn’t change anything about it, which is another reason it was hard for me to do this job.
While it can be hit or miss with reboots, an original star coming back is always good news. While we still don’t know exactly what Christina Ricci will be doing in the series, just knowing that she’s back is better than nothing. Plus it sounds like she will be having at least a scene or two with Jenna Ortega, so seeing the two of them on screen together is definitely something to look forward to.
After filming wrapped on Wednesday in the spring, Christina Ricci praised Ortega’s Wednesday and shared her thoughts on the series, noting how great it was to work with Tim Burton, Gwendoline Christie, and the rest of the cast. So if Ricci herself gives the series and Ortega’s performance a thumbs up, it must be good.
Meanwhile, seeing Jenna Ortega as the snappy Wednesday Addams will definitely be a bit different from what her fans are used to. The young actress is known for her roles in Disney Channel’s Stuck In the Middle, Season 2 of Netflix’s YOU, and the lead in this year’s Scream. As one of the up-and-coming Latina and Hispanic actresses you definitely want to watch out for, she has a bright career ahead of her. Especially if Wednesday proves to be successful.
Don’t miss Wednesday premiering on Netflix on November 23! Check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 Netflix TV schedule to see what else is dropping on the streamer before the year comes to an end.
