‘Wednesday’: Why Luis Guzmán Was the Right Choice: ‘Hollywood Ruined Gomez by Making Him a Good Looking Man’
When it comes to the Addams family patriarch, Gomez Addams has always had a distinct look on TV. In the few live-action versions of the black-and-white TV series and the movies, Gomez is charming to look at in one way or another. But Time Burton’s Netflix series Wednesday stuck to the cartoon-accurate version of Gomez with actor Luis Guzmán. While fans are used to the suave version, Guzmán gives Gomez a more realistic portrayal.
Raul Julia and John Astin are the most recognized live-action versions of Gomez Addams
Part of the main reason why fans today have come to love the Addams family is thanks to the original live-action series from 1964 and the 1998 movie franchise. The first actor to portray Gomez Addams was John Astin. Even in black and white, he had a distinctive charm and handsome demeanor that fit the characteristics of the Addams patriarch.
But the Addams family hit pop culture phenomenon with The Addams Family movie with Raul Julia as Gomez. The movie and its sequel put the family on the map like never before and became the hallmark of a perfect goth family. There is no denying that Julia gave Gomez an even more grandiose sexual appeal than ever before. His movie version of the character still stuck to the elements of what made Gomez special. He is well known for his slicked hair, thin mustache, cigars, and well-kept suit. At the time, his unique and suave aura had a few fans swooning over him.
But when it came to casting for Netflix’s Wednesday, the Gomez Addams fans were used instead stuck to the original cartoons. Charles Addams created the series of cartoons in 1938. When looking at the first and original Gomez, Julia and Astin do not necessarily fit the bill.
According to the Addams Family Wiki, Gomez is described as having “somewhat grotesque, being tubby, snub-nosed, and having a crooked tooth and a receding chin.” By all means, fans would not compare the description to Julia. Guzmán was brought in to play Gomez for Wednesday because he accentuated the original cartoon to a T.
Fans still debate whether Luis Guzmán was the right actor for Gomez Addams in ‘Wednesday’
With few live-action versions of the Addams family, fans got used to a more appealing version of Gomez with Julia and Astin. When Guzmán was cast in Wednesday, the series creators highlighted that Burton had a specific vision.
In a Vanity Fair article, Alfred Gough explains. “He wanted the silhouette to look more like the Charles Addams cartoons, which is Gomez shorter than Morticia, versus the kind of suave Raul Julia version in the movies.” Guzmán fits the mold well as he is noticeably shorter than his co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays Morticia. The Latino actor also has the same type of nose and a more portly body shape as the cartoon.
According to ScreenRant, fans have reignited the debate that Wednesday missed a golden opportunity to cast Oscar Isaac in the role. Their distaste for Guzmán as Gomez mainly comes from previous versions of the character being innately handsome in some way. One Instagram user, @boy.fae, made a video about Isaac in the role. But fans commented that Guzmán in Wednesday was perfect for a special reason. One fan comments that he is not “conventionally” handsome and helped flesh out the point that true love is based on connection and not looks.
Commentator @robmartin1989 explained, “Hollywood ruined Gomez by making him a good looking man Tim Burton did him right on Wednesday.” Guzmán brought in a more traditional take on the character that goes beyond what is on the outside as a loving husband and father.
Luis Guzmán was honored to be a part of ‘Wednesday’ as an iconic character
Looking back at Guzmán’s career, he has played many on-screen roles. For the actor, Wednesday ranked as his top three. While eating traditional Latin dishes with Jenna Ortega for Netflix, he explained that playing Gomez was a dream come true. The actor had grown up watching the 1964 series and was a fan of Julia.
He was shocked when receiving the call from Burton to play the role. Fans can agree that Guzmán portrayed far better than anyone could have hoped. Being Puerto Rican and Ortega being Mexican, the actor also found pride in Wednesday including multiple Latin cultural references. He was moved when Ortega said playing the leading role was an honor. She did not see many people like her on screen as a child.
