The mysterious and well-known Wednesday Addams character is portrayed by Jenna Ortega in Tim Burton's brand-new Netflix series 'Wednesday'.
The show is enhanced by a macabre sense of humor and infused with expressionism and the Gothic, all in true Tim Burton fashion. These elements, along with memorable music, have long been associated with the Addams Family.
Vivaldi's "Winter I: Allegro con molto" from his well-known Four Seasons violin concerto and other brooding melodies are prominent in Burton's adaptation of Wednesday's soundtrack. The Netflix series also incorporates well-known Dua Lipa songs as well as other moody instrumentals.
The string rendition of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" from the band's classic Black Album is one song that is heavily featured in Wednesday's Episode 3, "Friend or Woe." The song is not only appropriate for the events depicted in the episode, but it also has a theme that is appropriate for Wednesday Addams.
What is the Netflix show Wednesday all about?
Wednesday is a coming-of-age supernatural comedy horror television series in the United States based on the character Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family. Jenna Ortega plays the title role; Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Fred Armisen, and Christina Ricci play supporting roles.
It was written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Tim Burton, who also serves as executive producer, directed four of the eight episodes. The main character, who goes by the title, tries to solve a monster mystery at her school.
Critics gave "Wednesday" generally positive reviews after its November 16, 2022, premiere and its November 23, 2022, release on Netflix. They praised Ortega's performance but criticized the show for sharing metaphors with CW dramas. It rose to the third-most watched English-language Netflix series within two weeks of its debut.
Wednesday was expelled from high school for throwing live piranhas into the school pool during a water polo practice in retaliation for the team bullying Wednesday's brother Pugsley. This prompts her parents, Gomez and Morticia Addams, to enroll her at Vermont's Nevermore Academy, a school for monstrous outcasts that they themselves once attended.
Wednesday struggles to connect with her classmates and runs afoul of the school's principal due to her cold, emotionless personality and defiant nature. She does, however, learn that she has psychic powers that enable her to solve a local murder mystery.
Who is Jenna Ortega?
The American actress Jenna Marie Ortega was born on September 27, 2002. Her most famous role is that of Wednesday Addams in the Netflix comedy-horror series Wednesday (2020).
When Ortega was a young actress, she won acclaim for her portrayal of a young Jane in the comedy-drama series Jane the Virgin on The CW (2014–2019). Her role as Harley Diaz on the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle (2016–2018), for which she received an Imagen Award, gave her her big break.
She portrayed Ellie Alves in the Netflix thriller series You's second season in 2019 and starred in the Netflix family movie Yes Day (2021). After receiving positive reviews for her work in the teen drama The Fallout in 2021, she went on to star in the slasher movies X and Scream in 2022.
In an interview with Collider, Ortega claimed that Dakota Fanning's portrayal of the actress in the 2004 thriller Man on Fire served as her initial source of inspiration for pursuing acting. Ortega said, "After watching Dakota, who obviously was so talented from such a young age, I decided that I wanted to be the Puerto Rican version of her." She added that Denzel Washington was "the coolest man I had ever seen in my life."
In addition, Ortega names Gina Rodriguez, who she collaborated with on the “Jane The Virgin” television drama, as one of her key influences. She declared that she admired Rodriguez for her efforts and abilities, as well as for having a similar story to her own.
What is Metallica's reference in the Wednesday series?
The Black Album itself, as well as the string rendition of "Nothing Else Matters" in "Friend or Woe," serve as both a fitting tribute to the character's favorite color and a symbol of Wednesday's innermost thoughts. It's interesting to note that the episode's cover song is performed by a four-piece alternative band from Finland called Apocalyptica, which originally formed as a Metallica tribute band.
This fits this version of Wednesday Addams' character just right. The Black Album was released in 1991, the same year as the film The Addams Family (starring Christina Ricci as Wednesday), adding to the song's significance. Additionally, Wednesday's persistent attitude is thematically represented throughout the entire album.
Prior to the release of the Black Album, Metallica appeared to be on an upward trajectory toward greater complexity and ambition. But rather than advancing further into the technical realms, the album slowed down their thrash metal sound and eliminated progressive elements of the music, favoring instead a more conventional pop sound. The switch in tone as it relates to Wednesday's persona corresponds to her narrative in the Netflix series.
FAQs
Q. What is the Addams Family?
A. American cartoonist Charles Addams invented the fictitious Addams family. Later, they were transformed into other forms of media, including movies, video games, comic books, a musical, and merchandise. In 1938, The New Yorker published the first Addams cartoons.
Q. The Addams Family includes what other relatives?
A. Gomez and Morticia Addams are joined by their children Wednesday and Pugsley, their relatives Uncle Fester and Grandmama, their butler Lurch, and Pugsley's pet octopus, Aristotle.
Q. When was the Wednesday Netflix series premiered?
A. On November 16, 2022, the Netflix series Wednesday made its debut.
