The first version of Wednesday’s dance didn’t fit the character at all. Lead actress Jenna Ortega noticed that and nudged the new, now famous version.
There’s no question Wednesday is one of the most successful, influential and popular Netflix series of recent years. The story about the Addams daughter, who is as stoic as she is smart, sparked hype. But the biggest critic of the series is, of all people, Jenna Ortega herself. The leading actress repeatedly reveals how dissatisfied she is with the production design. And she’s almost always right in her criticism. In a podcast, Ortega explained how she single-handedly turned around the failed first version of the now-famous Wednesday dance.
Jenna Ortega on Wednesday dance: “Why would she agree with that?”
On the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard, Ortega talked about the creation of the iconic sequence. This one takes place at a Nevermore School ball. Wednesday attends the event rather unwillingly, visibly uncomfortable. (Buy Realistic Prom Dress by Wednesday*) Then the dance bursts out of her – a moment that could have quickly become embarrassing. That’s evidenced by the first version planned by the showrunners, which Ortega describes:
In the beginning, it was supposed to be a flash mob. She was supposed to start dancing and everyone was supposed to join in and dance with her.
Wednesday as some kind of animator? That sounds more Disney than Goth. Such a boisterous scene doesn’t fit the character. The actress felt that, too:
And that’s where I vetoed it. Because, why would she agree to that? I said, ‘Either delete it or have Wednesday knock someone out,’ and then it’s done.
Jenna Ortega was then put in charge of the dance scene. She managed the feat of creating choreography that not only did justice to the character, but added a new layer to it.
When is Wednesday Season 2 coming?
Netflix has since confirmed the 2nd season of Wednesday. However, it is not yet known when filming will begin, not to mention a possible start date. The production of the series takes place in Romania, which is a bit more complicated. In addition, Jenna Ortega is in high demand. A start of Wednesday season 2 in the fall of 2024, two years after season 1, seems realistic.
