Jenna Ortega Never Asked Christina Ricci for Advice on How to Portray Wednesday Addams

Known for her sadistic mind and macabre fascinations, Wednesday Addams takes center stage in Netflix’s latest live-action series, Wednesday. The Tim Burton re-imagination follows Wednesday as she navigates her psychic abilities and above-average teenage angst at Nevermore Academy. Jenna Ortega stars as the titular character, in an expert performance riddled with monotone one-liners and spine-tingling stares. But before Jenna, Wednesday was iconically portrayed by actress Christina Ricci.

Christina starred as Gomez and Morticia’s dark and twisted daughter in 1991’s The Addams Family and 1993’s Addams Family Values. She takes on a significant role in Wednesday as Nevermore botany professor Marilyn Thornhill. But although Christina acts alongside Jenna in this latest Addams Family iteration — and even feels Wednesday’s wrath a time or two — Jenna never asked Christina for advice on how to play the role.

“I think when she was on set, neither one of us said ‘Wednesday’ once to each other,” Jenna said in an interview with MTV News. “I think because she knew not to say anything to me because what is she gonna say or do? And I don’t think she wanted to get in the way of my performance and feel like she was overbearing. And then, I felt like I didn’t want to pull up something that she did 30 years ago, for one, the sake of my own benefit, but two, yeah I didn’t want to rip her off and I didn’t want to be too much like her.”

“And I think, I mean, our show has superpowers and, you know, outcasts and evil ghost pilgrims,” she added. “So they’re two very different people, our Wednesdays, I think.”

Jenna also mentioned that she felt “immense pressure” to play Wednesday accurately. “I have a lot of respect for the character and we’ve never spent this much time with Wednesday on camera before,” she explained.

In an interview with ELLE, Christina praised Jenna’s performance. “I loved being Wednesday,” she said. “I’m very proud of that role. I also think Jenna Ortega is amazing. She is so brave, so cool, and really doing the part justice. Wednesday is her part now...[and] those two things can be true at the same time!”

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