Uncle Fester’s Identity Revealed In New Wednesday Trailer Out Of New York Comic Con
Two snaps for this spooky and kooky casting news!
Pop Culture Planet sat front row at the Wednesday panel at New York Comic Con as Netflix revealed the show’s remixed theme song, a new trailer with exciting cameos, and a special clip featuring everyone’s favorite uncle, Fester. The series had kept his identity under wraps since the rest of the cast was announced — until now.
Fred Armisen joins the cast as the light bulb-loving Uncle Fester. “That’s my brother,” said Luis Guzmán when he joined the rest of the cast on stage, with Armisen chiming in, “Hermanos!” That’s right, Armisen even surprised Comic Con guests with a guest appearance during the panel where he revealed he really did shave his head for the iconic role. “I wanted to do it right and not have like a bald cap or anything, so I shaved my head,” he said. “I loved every second of it. We got to shoot in Romania. It was funny and scary at the same time. I love that mix.”
Armisen is part Venezuelan and is the co-creator of the English and Spanish language series Los Espookys, adding to the mostly Latino cast making up the Addams family. “I can’t think of many characters that have had such a reach, especially who’s Latin, like Wednesday,” said Jenna Ortega, who’s taking on the titular role, at the panel. “So it’s something I jumped on.”
The trailer also gave us our first look at Christina Ricci, best known for playing a young Wednesday Addams, who is now taking on the new role of Edna in the series. Ortega expressed the pressure involved in taking on the role of Wednesday. “I don’t think I’ve ever played a character that’s been done before… before,” she shared. “It’s an honor to be approached by someone with the resume and platform and legacy [Tim Burton] has.”
The new show explores Wednesday’s journey as an unapologetic outcast in a sea of outcasts. “Wednesday knows exactly who she is. She sees the world in black and white,” said Ortega, as her character must contend with living under her parents shadow at their alma mater Nevermore Academy. She revealed that the relationship between Morticia and Wednesday will be particularly crucial in the show’s first season.
Producer Miles Millar called Wednesday not a remake, but a “continuation” of the Addams Family and a way to “honor the past.” He said “is not a TV show. It's really an eight-hour Tim Burton movie.” Ortega rounded out the panel by calling Wednesday “a creepy little freak” and encouraging people to embrace their weirdness — because those are the people who make the world to round!
The first season of Wednesday drops just in time for Thanksgiving on November 23.
