They are eerie and quirky, but Wednesday, the oldest daughter of Morticia and Gomez, is arguably the most spookiest Addams. That she is now the focus of a hugely popular streaming series is therefore not surprising.
Netflix’s “Wednesday” centers on the adolescent years of the family’s “little black cloud,” based on the famed “Addams Family” characters drawn by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938—and later the subjects of several TV shows and films, as well as a Broadway musical.
The series surpassed the streamer’s record when it aired on Nov. 23, 2022, with 341.23 million viewing hours in its first week alone, according to Deadline, demonstrating how enamored viewers are with the program. Netflix revealed that the series had been renewed for a second season in January 2023.
With several Emmy nominations and four technical victories, including for outstanding comedy series and lead actress in a comedy for star Jenna Ortega, Season 1 was an awards favorite.
Are you hoping to get a part on “Wednesday”? Here is all you need to know, from open casting calls to audition tips.
What does “Wednesday” mean?
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar created the Netflix series (“The Shannara Chronicles,” “Smallville”), and Tim Burton directed the majority of Season 1.
The titular teen’s (Jenna Ortega) stay at her mother Morticia’s (Catherine Zeta-Jones) alma mater, the Nevermore Academy, is the main focus of “Wednesday.” Wednesday grudgingly enrolls in Nevermore, a private school for so-called “outcasts” (such as werewolves, gorgons, and vampires) in Jericho, Vermont, after being expelled from her former school for throwing live piranhas into the pool in retaliation against the water polo team.
Wednesday clashed with her teachers and students in Season 1 after discovering her dormant psychic powers. She also became the focal point of a romantic triangle while investigating a slew of enigmatic, supernatural killings.
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Ortega talked about the darker direction the show will take in Season 2 in an interview with Variety. She stated, “We’ve decided we want to lean into the horror more, but it’s still coming together.”
“You don’t want to take yourself too seriously because it’s such a cheerful show with vampires, werewolves, and abilities. For Wednesday, we’re doing away with any romantic interest, which is fantastic. We will become bolder and darker.
Known for her roles in horror movies such as “Scream,” “X,” and “The Babysitter: Killer Queen,” the actor received nominations for Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Awards for her performance in Season 1. In order to have more creative influence over Wednesday’s character development, she has also agreed to produce the second season.
We had previously been exchanging a lot of ideas, and I’m a really hands-on person. “I’d like to know what’s happening,” she said to Variety. Additionally, I really didn’t want to offend Wednesday because she is such a revered and legendary character.
I therefore make an effort to speak with as many people as I can. Together with Tim and the writers, we would gather on set and determine what worked and what didn’t. Naturally, it was already highly cooperative. And I’m just really interested. They were kind enough to allow me to assume the role of producer, and I want to see the costumes, upcoming characters, and screenplays.
The cast of Season 1 consists of:
- Jenna Ortega in the roles of Goody Addams and Wednesday Addams
- In the role of Morticia Addams, Catherine Zeta-Jones
- Guzmán Luis as Gomez Addams
- Pugsley Addams, played by Isaac Ordonez
- Principal Larissa Weems, played by Gwendoline Christie
- Dr. Valerie Kinbott, played by Riki Lindhome
- Donovan Galpin, Sheriff, played by Jamie McShane
- Tyler Galpin, played by Hunter Doohan
- Xavier Thorpe, played by Percy Hynes White
- Emma Myers in the role of Enid Sinclair
- The role of Eugene Ottinger by Moosa Mostafa
- As Bianca Barclay, Joy Sunday
- Farmer Georgie as Ajax Petropolus
- As Yoko Tanaka, Naomi J. Ogawa
- Marilyn Thornhill, played by Christina Ricci
- Uncle Fester, portrayed by Fred Armisen
- Divina, played by Johnna Dias-Watson
- Thing, played by Victor Dorobantu
- As Rowan Laslow, Calum Ross
Don’t worry, some of your favorite characters will return in Season 2. In May 2024, Netflix said that Ortega would return as the show’s leader, with Myers, Sunday, Mostafa, Farmer, and Dorobantu following.
Along with McShane and Armisen returning as guest stars, Zeta-Jones, Guzmán, Ordonez, and Unati Lewis-Nyawo are all returning as series regulars. Hynes White will not be coming back because he has been accused of sexual assault.
Additionally, Steve Buscemi will be playing the principal of Nevermore in “Wednesday” Season 2. After (spoiler alert!) Gwendoline Christie’s character died in the Season 1 finale, his character is taking over.
Lady Gaga is another celebrity joining Season 2. Information on Gaga’s part is still being withheld.
In addition to Gaga and Buscemi, Season 2 will feature new guest performers Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Lumley, Thandiwe Newton, Frances O’Connor, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo, and Joonas Suotamo, as well as series regulars Billie Piper, Evie Templeton, Owen Painter, and Noah Taylor.
Who is the “Wednesday” casting director?
The Season 1 ensemble was assembled by John Papsidera, Sophie Holland, and Florina Fernandes. According to Papsidera, casting for television is different from cinema because more individuals are typically involved. A TV show with nine writer-producers, as well as a studio and network, is just a completely different procedure. It is an unavoidable evil.
In his audition room, Papsidera offers performers certain guarantees. “I hope they feel as though they have a moment and a space to share a little bit of themselves.” That, in my opinion, is my responsibility, and everyone I work with attempts to make that possible.
We have a great deal of respect for performers, and we want them to feel free to perform to the best of their abilities as soon as they enter the premises, and especially the audition room.
“That’s always the objective,” he added. “I believe you accomplish that by creating a secure environment and by being helpful, cooperative, and present. For me, it’s very important that we appear for the actors. We try to get the most out of them by having someone take part in that, and it’s the least they can expect.
What is the casting procedure for “Wednesday”?
Luis Guzmán claimed in an interview with “The Rich Eisen Show” that Burton personally asked him to play Gomez, the patriarch of Addams. Prior roles for the character include Oscar Isaac in Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon’s animated film (2019), Raul Julia in Barry Sonnenfeld’s “The Addams Family” (1991) and “Addams Family Values” (1993), and John Astin on the “Addams Family” television series (1964).
“Tim Burton wants to talk to you,” I received over the phone while I was in Cardiff, Wales. I answered, “Tim Burton? Yes! Guzmán remembered. “Hey, man, we’re doing this thing about the Addams Family,” he said when we went Zoomed the following day. And I thought, “Oh, wow.” Fantastic! I have no idea what will occur next. “I’d love for you to play Gomez,” he added. And I ask, “Really? Really? Alright, let’s get started!
But it took a lot more work to find the proper actor to play Wednesday. “When you begin a process with such a legacy and storied roles surrounding it, it’s always a little bit daunting,” Papsidera told CNN. Because her father is Hispanic, the team sought a Latina actor to play the role. (Issac is Guatemalan Cuban, Guzmán is Puerto Rican, and the late Julia was Puerto Rican.)
The casting crew knew they had found their Wednesday when they met Ortega, who is Puerto Rican and Mexican. The fact that the performer, who had just left the set of Ti West’s slasher movie “X,” arrived at her audition coated in fake blood and gore didn’t hurt.
“I had discussed Jenna extensively before [the casting process],” Papsidera stated. There aren’t many ladies in the world who can manage the pressure of being the top player on the call sheet and yet succeed on their own. She is the first person that comes to mind when discussing a young Latina actor.
But Gough and Millar wanted to try everything before settling on their lead. However, after a thorough investigation, they realized Ortega was the ideal actor for the role.
Gough told IndieWire, “The lead of any show becomes your collaborator in the show—they just do.” “It is simply unavoidable. Additionally, there is a precision to this character.
Jenna’s acting, the character’s writing, and Tim’s actions are all executed with accuracy. Because you’re merely attempting to ensure that you’re landing the plane on a very small aircraft carrier in a very large ocean, we all had numerous discussions about it.
Ortega was the ideal pick, Burton agreed. The director told Netflix Queue that “the show wouldn’t really exist without the right Wednesday, regardless of how good the writing was.” There isn’t another Wednesday that comes to mind. In the sense that she can communicate ideas without using words, she is comparable to a silent film actress.
When does “Wednesday” Season 2 filming begin?
Netflix declared on December 4 that the filming of “Wednesday” Season 2 in Ireland has officially concluded. Gough and Millar also revealed that Season 2 “will be exploring more Addams Family Lore” and that they were “excited to introduce an eclectic lineup of incredible new characters.”
Netflix is anticipated to launch Season 2 in 2025.
Where are “Wednesday” casting calls held?
Celtic Casting placed a call for background actors to appear “on the second season of a U.S. hit TV show” in late March 2024, which might very well mean “Wednesday,” according to a report by Geek Ireland.
In addition to twins and triplets, the announcement requests ethnically varied adults and teens with “unique looks, quirky styles, [and] edgy traits.” You must be an Irish resident with availability between the end of April and November in order to apply.
The series does not currently have any open casting calls.
What are the greatest ways to ace an audition for “Wednesday”?
Be confident in front of others. Although nervousness is inevitable, Papsidera prefers confident performers. “An actor who approaches [the audition] with a certain amount of confidence, and they do something that is not even bold or outrageous as a choice but they have a confidence [that] makes it work,” he remarked.
Be yourself don’t attempt to be amazing. Holland claims that a lot of hopefuls come into the room hoping to create a big impression. However, simply being who you truly are can make a big impact.
“Enter the room and realize that the actor and the casting director are working together. We want to collaborate on something that you contribute well-considered, prepared, and excavated ideas for—that you’ve given careful consideration to what you want to contribute to that character,” she said.
Casting directors have amazing recollections, which is the problem. When something comes up four years from now, we’ll remember you and invite you in. However, making a conscious effort to stand out is ineffective; you don’t want to be remembered for the wrong reasons!
Determine your strengths. Because of her brilliantly deadpan role in the 1990s “Addams” movies, which helped start her career, Christina Ricci, who co-stars on “Wednesday,” will always be associated with the character. The actor also talks from experience, having worked in the field for decades.
She told us, “I would advise anyone, really, beginning in almost any field—and without a doubt in an artistic field: You should always be open to constructive criticism.” Additionally, identify what you do that is unique and pursue it. Regardless of how odd the thing you’re skilled at is, if you’re the only one who does it effectively, then Even if your strengths aren’t trendy right now, play to them.
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