The internet has been abuzz lately at the announcement of who will portray the much beloved Addams Family in the new Netflix spinoff Wednesday. Although the show will feature characters that many people know at love, those attached to the show have been quick to say that this is not a reboot, but its own unique story.
Tim Burton would eventually be brought on as the show's producer, adding to the excitement surrounding the show. Burton is most well known for his spooky and macabre take on films and animation, having made a name for himself with films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetle Juice, and the cult classic Mars Attacks!
Jenna Ortega is set to play the show's namesake Wednesday. The show appears to solely focus on Wednesday as a teenager who is going to a new school better suited for her unique tastes. Continuing to set itself apart from other Addams Family properties, Wednesday will see the title character acting as a sleuth and potentially solving crimes.
While there hasn't been much information released about the show, the main actors set to play Wednesday, Gomez, and Pugsley are of Latin descent, bringing attention to the little-known fact that the family comes from a Latin background thanks to Gomez's Castilian roots. This would be one of the few times in the Addams Family history, outside the original comics, that this would happen.
Many Actresses Have Played Wednesday, But None Have Been Latina
The character of Wednesday Addams is well known and loved by many who have followed the show, whether they are fans of the original comic that appeared in The New Yorker, an avid watcher of the animated and live-action shows throughout the '60s and the '70s, or a fan of the cartoons and movies from the '90s.
Several actresses have had the privilege of playing Wednesday throughout the years, but virtually none, outside Ortega, are Latina like the original source material. Lisa Loring would be the first actress to play Wednesday in the live-action adaptation of the character throughout the '60s.
According to IMDB, the actress was born on the Pacific island of Kwajalein where her father was stationed during his time in the Navy and is of Caucasian and Polynesian descent.
Christina Ricci, who has also recently been announced as attached to Wednesday, also played perhaps the most iconic version of the titular character throughout the '90s. Ricci was born in California and is of Italian, Irish, and Scot-Irish descent.
Nicole Fugere would also briefly play the character in the '90s alongside Tim Curry. There is not a lot of information online about the actress, as she only starred in two Addams Family films and The Things I Never Told You, but her last name could potentially be of French descent.
Although not a live-action property, Chloe Grace Moretz was able to play Wednesday in the 2019 animated film The Addams Family, and her ancestry is mostly German and English.
Jenna Ortega would mark the first casting of a fully Latina Wednesday, with the up-and-coming scream queen's father being of Mexican descent, and her mother a mix of Mexican and Puerto Rican.
Tim Burton Has Made Questionable Comments About Diversity In the Past
Even with the progressive casting choices made for the new Netflix original, some have been quick to remind the public that Tim Burton had previously made some comments against diversity.
Comments the director had made in 2016 resurfaced when he was asked about the lack of black and brown characters in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
Burton would go on record saying things like "things either call for things, or they don't" and made comments like "I used to get more offended by that..." when talking about The Brady Bunch adding more diverse characters to their show.
Even among all the criticism and controversy surrounding the comments he's made in the past, Tim Burton seemed incredibly enthusiastic about Jenna Ortega's portrayal of Wednesday.
During the Inside Wednesday Addams: Inside the Character video shared by Netflix, Burton can be found saying "She's like a silent movie actress in the sense that she is able to convey things without words, and to see the inner life and the subtleties was very exciting, and that why were very lucky to have Jenna, because I can't imagine any other Wednesday."
Jenna Ortega Talks About How She Will Play Wednesday
In the same Inside the Character video, Burton can also be heard saying that previous incarnations can be found to be very cartoony, and how this series will allow them to ground the series in reality a bit more.
Ortega, who has been trying to take on more serious roles to try and disconnect from her family-friendly Disney image, is also seen saying she wanted to bring something a bit different to the role, regardless of how she was done in the past.
The actress is leaning into Wednesday's socially awkward energy, and also speaks out about Wednesday being a Latina character, saying, "Wednesday is technically a Latina character and that's never been represented. So, for me, any time that I have an opportunity to represent my community, I want that to be seen."
The statement is then followed by a scene where another character, presumably a classmate of Wednesdays, points out an altar in the environment they are in.
At that moment, Wednesday makes mention of having one in her home, making mention that it's for "year long Dia de los Muertos", a holiday that is typically celebrated on November 1st and 2nd among Mexican families.
The actress continued to show her dedication to the character by also going for fencing and cello lessons, and the comments section of the video has been resoundingly positive, with many fans excited to see what Ortega will bring to the character.