17 Photos Of The Wednesday Cast Vs. The 1991 Addams Family Cast

A year before Jenna Ortega made her debut as the titular Wednesday Addams, she opened up to Bustle about her nerves. “It’s about acknowledging the greatness that has happened before me and paying homage to it, while also putting a different spin,” she explained.

The greatness she’s referring to includes Christina Ricci’s performance in the 1991 Addams Family film. Ricci, who plays Ms. Thornhill in the new Netflix series, praised Ortega’s performance, telling Elle she’s “truly incredible at making Wednesday a modern badass.”

Ortega’s Wednesday has her predecessor’s black, braided pigtails and sardonic glare — but her character comes with a few updates, like bangs and a chic black manicure.

On the other hand (literally), 1991 Wednesday had red nails — just like her onscreen mom, Morticia.

Speaking of Morticia, the Addams matriarch is played in 2022 by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Her adoring husband, Gomez, is played by Luis Guzmán

In 1991, the couple was portrayed by Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia.

Isaac Ordonez plays Pugsley, Wednesday’s brother.

In 1991, Jimmy Workman played Wednesday’s brother — and torture subject. Workman also has a well-known sister offscreen: Modern Family star Ariel Winter.

Fred Armisen plays Uncle Fester in the 2022 Netflix series.

Back to the Future’s Christopher Lloyd played the family oddball in the 1991 film.

Romanian magician Victor Dorobantu portrays the 2022 Thing. The disembodied hand was achieved through a special effects suit, which led to some pretty hilarious behind-the-scenes images.

Dorobantu told Vanity Fair that he was inspired by the 1991 Thing, Christopher Hart — who is also a magician. “I appreciate so much what kind of work he gave there,” he said. “Because back then without VFX, it was a lot harder. He had to endure many more positions than I did.”

At first, it seemed like Enid (Emma Myers) might be the modern analog to Mercedes McNab’s Girl Scout from the first film, of whom Wednesday is not a fan. However, Enid and Wednesday don’t share that dynamic because they genuinely like each other — in their own ways!

However, the Girl Scout scene is referenced in Wednesday. At one point, Wednesday says she could eat Girl Scouts for breakfast — and in the 1991 film, she wondered if Girl Scout cookies were made from actual troopers. Netflix winked at the moment in a recent tweet.

Cousin Itt is not a character in Netflix’s Wednesday, but the stylish, anthropomorphic hairball is referenced in Episode 7 when Uncle Fester points out a portrait of one Ignatius Itt, or “Iggy.” According to a plaque on the painting, he died in 1850.

But might Itt’s descendant return for a potential Wednesday Season 2? The character was a hilarious presence in the 1991 Addams Family film, where he was played by John Franklin.