Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega Choreographed Her Gothic Dance Scene

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega reveals she choreographed her character’s dance in episode 4 of the Netflix series. Ortega debuted as the titular character this November, starring in Netflix’s eight-episode Addams Family adaptation helmed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Tim Burton. The series sets itself apart from other adaptations through several means, but primarily due to its focus on the Addams family daughter, whose rarely depicted teen years are explored in the show. Ortega has earned acclaim for her portrayal of the gothic teen, with many praising her ability to completely transform into Wednesday and her dedication to the role.

Burton has previously described some of the steps Ortega took to be able to embody the character of Wednesday, which included walking like Wednesday in her daily life, taking up fencing, and learning cello. While appearing in a video along with several of her cast mates for Still Watching Netflix, Ortega revealed yet another tidbit that proves her devotion to the role, which involved the instantly iconic Wednesday dance sequence in episode 4. Much of the cast, including Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Joy Sunday, and Fred Armisen, expressed admiration for the titular character’s look and unique moves as well as the cinematography within the scene, as well as laughing in amazement at Wednesday’s confident display. See what Ortega had to say about the dance below:

“I actually felt really insecure about this, I choreographed that myself and I think it’s very obvious that I’m not a dancer or choreographer.”

Related: How Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday Compares To Christina Ricci’s Version

Wednesday’s Dance Scene Was More Important Than You Realize

Wednesday episode 4 saw the eponymous character head to Nevermore Academy’s Rave’N Dance. Dressed in a fittingly gothic style, Wednesday went on to perform the aforementioned whimsical dance, which has since been shared heavily online as social media users praise Ortega’s deadpan expression and surprising, yet mesmerizing, moves. Many have pointed out that eccentric dancing is a trait shared by many past iterations of Wednesday, comparing the clip to one from 1964’s The Addams Family sitcom, which depicts a young Wednesday, played by Lisa Loring, confidently showing Lurch (Ted Cassidy) a popular dance in a similarly eccentric fashion.

In the context of the series, Wednesday’s dance allowed viewers to see the character blossom in a new setting, demonstrating that, despite being unsure of her place at Nevermore Academy, her strong sense of individuality remains intact. Ortega has previously shared that the moves were inspired by the dancing in Goth clubs in the 1980s, which fits the timeless nature of Wednesday’s character as well as perfectly embodying her theme. Wednesday’s dance sequence broke down some of her facade and displayed her youthful energy and artistic nature, which was satisfying to viewers since Wednesday previously wasn’t sure about attending Nevermore’s dance.

Jenna Ortega’s Devotion Makes Her The Ultimate Wednesday Successor

Given how weird, artistic, and gothic Wednesday’s dance scene was, learning that Ortega was the one who choreographed it proves once again that she was the perfect choice to portray the titular character. Though many felt leading up to the Netflix series that Christina Ricci, who played Wednesday in 1991’s The Addams Family, would prove impossible to replace, Ortega has managed to showcase a different version of the beloved character that audiences have enjoyed. Even Ricci has praised Ortega’s modern iteration of Wednesday, showing that Ortega was the right choice to succeed Ricci and bring the character’s spooky teen years to the screen in Wednesday.

More: Wednesday Has A Fun Character Easter Egg (But Will They Ever Appear?)Source: Still Watching Netflix