Only a short while has passed since the premiere of Wednesday, one of Netflix’s most ambitious projects for this year, and it has already earned a spot among the most binge-watched content in the platform’s history, overtaking Stranger Things. This supernatural comedy horror TV series narrates the adventures of Wednesday, the eldest daughter of Morticia and Gomez from The Addams Family, during her time at Nevermore Academy, where she must solve a mystery that threatens the students while learning to manage her new psychic abilities. It was created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and it marked Tim Burton’s comeback to directing TV productions after over 30 years. Besides directing, Burton also served as executive producer.
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Wednesday’s first season consists of eight episodes: four helmed by Burton, two by Gandja Monteiro, and another two by James Marshall. Jenna Ortega stars as Wednesday, alongside stars such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman, Gwendoline Christie, and Fred Armisen, among many up-and-coming actors with tremendous potential. Furthermore, Christina Ricci, best known for her legendary portrayal of Wednesday in the 1991 and 1993 films, also stars in this series, which surprised fans very much. Even though there is no official confirmation of a second season yet, per PEOPLE, Wednesday’s outstanding performance with both critics and audiences promises a bright future for the series. Let’s take a look at the careers of the actors in the cast.
Jenna Ortega
Netflix
Jenna Ortega has been working in the industry for over ten years, since she was still a child. She had her breakthrough role in the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle, and also appeared in Jane the Virgin and the second season of You, starring Penn Badgley. Among her best-known film projects are Scream, Studio 666 and X, as well as Yes Day, the Netflix production starring and produced by Jennifer Garner.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Morticia Addams, and thanks to her skills and versatility, she has made a great acting career through the years, winning many awards. Some of her most successful films include Traffic, The Mask of Zorro, The Terminal, and Ocean’s Twelve, among many others. In addition, she has proven to be a gifted musical actress in the 2002 film Chicago, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Zeta-Jones has also ventured into TV productions several times, such as Feud: Bette and Joan and Prodigal Son.
Luis Guzmán
Luis Guzmán has starred in dozens of films and TV series since his acting debut in 1977, playing both comedic and dramatic roles. After several minor roles, he went on to work with directors such as Paul Thomas Anderson and Steven Soderbergh and became increasingly popular. Among his best known films are Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Out of Sight and The Limey. He also appeared in series such as HBO’s Oz, Narcos and Code Black. In Wednesday, Guzmán plays Gomez Addams.
Gwendoline Christie
Gwendoline Christie plays Larissa Weems, the principal of Nevermore Academy. This actress has started her career working on stage, but became popular for two particular productions: her character of Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones and Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Among her other major projects in the last few years were the films In Fabric and The Personal History of David Copperfield, as well as the 2022 Netflix TV series The Sandman.
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci joined the cast of Wednesday as Marilyn Thornhill, a professor at Nevermore Academy. Of course, one of her most celebrated roles was Wednesday in The Addams Family, a part that earned her international acclaim only a year after her career was launched. Still, her portfolio comprises a great number of films, both hits and indie productions. Among them, it is worth mentioning Casper, Sleepy Hollow, Monster, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Ricci has also been involved in several TV series, such as Grey’s Anatomy and The Good Wife. She is currently part of the cast of Yellowjackets.
Fred Armisen
Comedian, actor, writer and musician Fred Armisen plays Uncle Fester in Wednesday. This star is best known for his comedy career: he co-created and co-starred in the series Portlandia alongside Carrie Brownstein and appeared on Saturday Night Live, among other comedy shows. Armisen made some guest starring appearances in shows such as Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Big Mouth, where he voices Elliot Birch and a few other characters. The actor has also appeared in many films. Among them, it is worth mentioning Easy A, The Dictator, and The Smurfs, where he voiced Brainy Smurf.
Jamie McShane
Jamie McShane plays Donovan, Jericho’s town sheriff. This actor has been working in the industry since 1997, and is known for several of his roles in highly successful productions such as Southland, CSI: Vegas and Sons of Anarchy. In addition, he plays Agent Jackson in many Marvel Cinematic Universe films. He has also been cast in Argo, Gone Girl, and Nightcrawler.
Emma Myers
Enid Sinclair, Wednesday’s friend and roommate, is definitely Emma Myers’ breakthrough role, as she is an actress who is just starting out in the industry with a promising future ahead of her. Myers had her acting debut in the series The Glades in 2010, and then stepped away from acting until 2020, when she was cast in the movies Southern Gospel and A Taste of Christmas. A year later, she played Marie Cody in Girl in the Basement.
Hunter Doohan
Hunter Doohan’s story is similar to Myers’. The actor who portrays Tyler Galpin in Wednesday kicked off his career in 2012 by appearing in the short film Lost Pursuit, but only resumed it in 2020 as part of the series Your Honor, starring Bryan Cranston. Doohan has also been cast in Schooled and Truth Be Told.
Percy Hynes White
Given that Percy Hynes White was born to artists Joel Thomas Hynes and Sherry White, it makes sense that he became interested in acting at such a young age. This actor, who plays student Xavier Thorpe in Wednesday, made his acting debut in 2008 in Down to the Dirt, and has remained active over the years participating in several productions. Among his most notable films are Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, Edge of Winter, and A Christmas Horror Story. He has also starred in TV productions such as Between and The Gifted.
