‘Wednesday’: Why Christina Ricci Returns: ‘Huge Part of My Identity and My History in My Life’
While fans are buzzing over getting a new fresh take on the Addams family universe with Tim Burton’s Wednesday, Christina Ricci is also excited to return to her roots. The actor made the macabre teen a pop-culture icon in The Addams Family live-action movie and its sequel. While Ricci does not return to her original role, she is more than happy to be involved for many reasons.
Christina Ricci made Wednesday Addams cool and relatable
The infamous outcast family was created as a cartoon. It became a black and white TV series in 1964. But the series portrayed a much younger version of Wednesday Addams, while in 1991, The Addams Family movie portrayed a tween version, played by Ricci.
Undoubtedly, Ricci is the epitome of Wednesday Addams from her attitude, looks, and overall presence. The actor’s portrayal led Wednesday Addams to become a household name among fans, and her grim yet realistic viewpoint. The last fans saw Ricci as the character was in Addams Family Values. Since then, there have been a few more portrayals of the teenager, even in animated movies.
When Netflix announced Jenna Ortega would star as the macabre teen in Tim Burton’s Wednesday, fans wondered if Ricci would be included. In March of 2021, Deadline reported that Ricci would return to the Addams family universe. But she would not appear in her old role but as an unknown character at Nevermore Academy.
The actor is excited to return for ‘Wednesday’ due to her emotional attachment
Fans have high hopes for Netflix’s Wednesday . Newly released teaser trailers has Wednesday among outcasts and murder. That is not all, as the series and Ortega got the stamp of approval from Ricci. The actor reveals in an interview with Collider that she always felt comfortable in the Addams family world and calls herself a “natural contrarian.”
“And so being in a world where everybody’s just like thrilled to be doing the wrong thing. It’s just great for me, I love it. So that is what that world represents a lot for me emotionally,” said Ricci. While returning in Wednesday as another character, Ricci still feels honored to return. Wednesday Addams marked a big part of her career.
“It’s Tim Burton, I was so honored to be asked by him because he is just, you know, a genius. And then also to be a part to be asked to be a part of the new version of this thing that is a huge part of my identity and my history in my life,” said the actor. “And it’s such a fun world, and my character is outrageous and fun and different than anything I’ve done, and it was really great.”
Fans have not seen the character she will play in the Netflix series. There is an air of mystery as the other characters like Gomez, Morticia, and Pugsley have been revealed.
Time Burton, Christina Ricci, and the cast are excited for Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams
Jenna Ortega takes on the macabre teen in Netflix’s Wednesday. The rising actor has said she had been compared to Wednesday Addams since childhood. Now it is her time to shine. Ricci explains she got to share her love for the Addams universe and its uniqueness with Ortega.
“And I just had a really lovely experience on that with Jenna, who is amazing, and I think now people have a taste of her Wednesday, and it’s gonna be fantastic. She is really incredible. And Gwendoline Christie, I love working with her. She’s my favorite,” said the actor.
In a behind-the-scenes Netflix video of Wednesday, Burton is over the moon with Ortega as he explains, “She’s like a silent movie actress in the sense where she’s able to convey things without words. To see the inner life and the subtleties was exciting.”
It is safe to say that Ricci has passed the torch to Ortega in this new fresh Latina rendition of Wednesday Addams. Even Katherine Zeta-Jones is tantalized by Ortega’s natural dry sense of humor that works wonders for the macabre character.
