Before becoming the star of Netflix’s critically acclaimed series Wednesday, Jenna Ortega nearly brought the character of Wednesday Addams to life in a different way—by voicing her in the 2019 animated Addams Family movie.
Wednesday is a fresh take on the classic Addams Family, a beloved fictional family created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938. The series has become a major hit, with Ortega’s portrayal of the dark and witty Wednesday earning widespread praise.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly coinciding with the release of Wednesday season two, Jenna Ortega shared how she originally auditioned for the voice role of Wednesday Addams in the animated film, a part that was ultimately played by Chloë Grace Moretz.
“I recorded it on the set of a show I was working on at the time,” Ortega recalled. “I went to the closet and I asked my mom to stand outside to make sure that there weren’t people walking by.”
Ortega’s admiration for the character was clear. She said, “I remember leaving this broom closet and telling my mom, ‘I don’t know what they’re looking for, but I would like to play her one day. That would be cool.’”
Though Jenna Ortega had already appeared in well-known series like Stuck in the Middle and Jane the Virgin, landing the lead role of Wednesday in Netflix’s adaptation became her breakout performance in 2022.
Wednesday season two part one is currently streaming on Netflix, with part two scheduled to premiere on September 3. Fans of the series eagerly await the continuation of Ortega’s chilling yet captivating portrayal of Wednesday Addams.
