Jenna Ortega Wants to Address Wednesday’s Never Before Represented Latin Heritage

Jenna Ortega is bringing an entire new model of Wednesday Addams to Netflix this month, and that features enjoying her as a Latin character.

This week sees Jenna Ortega make her debut as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s new Addams Family spin-off collection, Wednesday. From director Tim Burton, the present guarantees to be a brand new tackle the traditional character in additional ways in which one. While this might be an older Wednesday to earlier iterations, for Ortega, it is usually about bringing one thing to the character that has normally by no means been addressed – her Latin heritage. Speaking to TV Times, Ortega mentioned:

“I watched the movies when I was nine years old, but didn’t watch the 1960s TV show until later. I’ve been compared to Wednesday my entire life. I think that it’s because I tend to be very dry and monotone. But I was so nervous about playing her because I wanted to do her justice. She’s also a Latina character and that’s never been represented, so I had an opportunity to give other girls that look like me some relatability.”

Ortega’s feedback do ring true, because the daughter of Morticia and Gomez has by no means actually been depicted as being half-Latina. Addressing that is simply one of many adjustments that Addams Family followers will see within the new collection, with one other special approach being her age. As Ortega continued:

“We’ve never seen Wednesday at this age before. I wanted to do something different. My interpretation is that she’s a bit more socially awkward, but she’s always a few steps ahead of anyone else, especially because she’s investigating murderers and monsters.”

Related: Wednesday Behind-the-Scenes Look Calls the Netflix Show an ‘Extended Tim Burton Movie’

How Did Tim Burton Connect With Wednesday?

Director Tim Burton appears to be completely matched to a mission concerning the Addams Family, however the in taking over Wednesday, the director felt he had a private reference to the lead character. This was largely linked to how Wednesday is perceived at her college, and one thing about that resonated with Burton. He beforehand mentioned:

“When I learn this [script], it simply spoke to me about how I felt at school and the way you’re feeling about your mother and father, how you’re feeling as an individual. It gave the Addams Family a unique type of actuality. It was an fascinating mixture. In 1976, I went to a high-school promenade. It was the 12 months Carrie got here out. I felt like a male Carrie at that promenade. I felt that feeling of getting to be there however not be a part of it. They don’t go away you, these emotions, as a lot as you need them to go. You know, Wednesday and I’ve the identical worldview. “

The solid of Wednesday sees an all-star line-up showing alongside Ortega together with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman as Morticia and Gomez Addams respectively, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, George Burcea as Lurch, and Victor Dorobantu as Thing. The supporting solid is made up of Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Hunter Doohan, Georgie Farmer, Hunter Doohan, Georgie Farmer, Moosa Mostafa, Gwendoline Christie, and Christina Ricci.

Wednesday makes its debut on Netflix on November 23, 2022.