‘Wednesday’: Jenna Ortega Did Not Want a Love Triangle for Her Character: ‘She’s Not Boy Crazy’
Fans get to see Wednesday Addams embark on a journey like never before in the Netflix series. She attends Nevermore Academy and gets entangled in a web of mysteries and murder. But Tim Burton’s Wednesday also has a complex love triangle. Wednesday star Jenna Ortega reveals she did not want the macabre teen to have a romance as her character is far from wanting sappy love.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Wednesday.]
Wednesday inadvertently catches the eye of Xavier Thorpe and Tyler Galpin
After causing mayhem at normie school, her parents send her to Nevermore Academy for outcasts. Even at a school for the supernatural, Wednesday still sticks out with her all-black ensemble and morbid demeanor. Like the Wednesday trailers teased, the goth teen goes through a romance storyline.
It begins with Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White), the school’s tortured artist who lives in the shadow of his famous psychic father. But from the get-go, Xavier shows an interest in Wednesday. When he saves her from a falling gargoyle, he reveals they knew each other as children. He even gets Wednesday to smile.
But Xavier soon gets some competition when Wednesday meets Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan) at the local coffee shop. While scared by her light steps, he never shows fear or distaste toward the outcast. But their brewing romance has a hiccup as Tyler is the son of the local sheriff. Regardless of his father’s warnings, Tyler becomes friends with Wednesday and helps investigate the murders and mystery at Nevermore.
Tim Burton’s Wednesday has an interesting and obvious love story. Both Xavier and Tyler make their feelings for Wednesday very clear. But as the character battles with heartfelt emotions and empathy, she is unclear on how to navigate love. While adding to the coming-of-age story, Jenna Ortega explains she never originally wanted Wednesday to fall into romance.
Jenna Ortega knows Wednesday Addams has never been obsessed with boys or romance
In an interview with ExtraTV, Ortega breaks down what it was like getting into her role of Wednesday Addams. The actor even reveals seeing herself as the character was “wrong.” She reasons that Wednesday has a set look and characteristics new to the actor.
But when it comes to the romance department, even Ortega reveals she was not too keen on the macabre Wednesday having the storyline element. “I told them very early on that I did not want her to be in the middle of a love triangle,” explained Ortega.
The actor had good reasoning. Wednesday Addams sees the world in black and white and is different from everyday teenagers. “I think she is so competitive, and she is so obsessed with this monster roaming around town. I think the romance aspect of the show, yeah, because it’s a teen show, I think it’s kind of entertaining for her in that sense. But I don’t think it’s something that she obsesses over. She’s not boy-crazy in any sense,” explained Ortega.
Ortega also adds that her character knows people are obsessed with her. Looking back at the macabre teen’s journey on the small and big screen, she has only had one romance. In the Addams Family Values, Wednesday (Christina Ricci) has her first kiss with Joel Glicker (David Krumholtz) after escaping from summer camp.
Who does Ortega’s character find romance with in Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’?
As Wednesday goes about her intricate journey to solve the mystery, she begins to feel the complexity of teenage love. At first, she has no desire to play into Tyler or Xavier’s feelings for her. While fans are divided between the two male characters, fans begin to realize that Wednesday has more chemistry with Tyler.
It is likely because Wednesday begins to suspect Xavier of being the killer Hyde. At first, fans adore Tyler for several reasons. He is kind, willing to help Wednesday, and does not see her as an outcast. Her “kooky” attitude enamors him. He even manages to go on a date with Wednesday and knows exactly the type of horror movie that will scare her. They watch Legally Blonde.
Sadly, Wednesday takes a nasty turn when she tells the police Xavier is the Hyde and killer. Feeling reassured, she meets with Tyler to patch up their relationship and share their first kiss. But due to her psychic abilities, Wednesday learns the truth. Tyler is the Hyde.
While fans may not be keen on Wednesday having a romance, it is fitting that her first kiss and relationship is with a monstrous serial killer. By the Wednesday finale, Xavier is not guilty, Tyler is arrested, and his master’s whereabouts are a mystery. But the semester at Nevermore is over, and Xavier holds no grudges against Wednesday and gifts her an iPhone to keep in touch. It could very well be a Wednesday Season 2 is a long-haul romance for the two.
Wednesday is available to stream on Netflix.
