While acting in Netflix's Addams Family spinoff show Wednesday, actor Jenna Ortega never blinks... and it's largely director Tim Burton's fault.According to Netflix's Twitter account, Wednesday's lack of blinking wasn't planned. It all started when Ortega tried "one take where she didn’t blink," and Burton was "so enamored with the result" that he instructed the actor not to blink for the rest of the shoot. The results are totally spooky (if not kooky and ooky). The stylistic choice likely only helped endear audiences to the character. After the show aired, audiences gushed about Ortega's performance as the sullen schoolgirl, calling her "perfect" for the role, as well as "amazing and unforgettable."
Jenna Ortega's Wednesday Performance
Critics were similarly taken with Ortega's take on the iconic role, with Megan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting noting, "Wednesday may be matter-of-fact and straight-faced in demeanor, but her eyes convey her emotional truth." However, some complained that the series strays a little too far from its source material, stating that it doesn't quite capture the "magic" of the original Addams Family films.
The character's unnerving lack of blinking isn't the only intriguing behind-the-scenes fact about Ortega's time playing Wednesday. The actor revealed that, to prepare for the show's iconic dance scene, she was inspired by a number of musical artists, including "Siouxsie Sioux, Bob Fosse’s Rich Man’s Frug, Lisa Loring, Lene Lovich, Denis Lavant, and archival footage of goths dancing in clubs in the ’80s."
Wednesday's Season 2 Chances
Fans may to get the chance to see more creative dance scenes from Wednesday in the future, as Wednesday's co-showrunner Alfred Gough has already begun teasing ideas for a potential second season. Gough revealed that he hopes to continue to flesh out Wednesday's relationship with her werewolf roommate Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers), explaining, "I think like any relationship or any friendship, it can get complicated by other factors. It's never going to be smooth sailing." He noted that he wants to explore Wednesday "learning to navigate the ups and downs of friendship."
Wednesday co-showrunner Miles Millar revealed plans of his own, explaining that he wants to look at the relationship between Wednesday and Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), which he believes is "essential to the show." He also hopes to investigate the ways in which "Wednesday is trying to forge her own path outside the family."
Season 1 of Wednesday is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Source: Twitter