Jenna Ortega will be “giving notes” on Wednesday season 2

Jenna Ortega has taken Hollywood by storm since she took on the lead role of Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday. She was around before that, but it was Wednesday, followed by the recent Scream movies, that really put her on the map.

And she seems destined to stay there. Earlier this year, she said that she was “very, very protective” of her character and would sometimes alter script lines for the first season. It doesn’t seem like that is going to change for the second season, as Ortega revealed during The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Comedy Actress Emmy Roundtable.

“When I went into Wednesday I put my foot down and made it clear that everything that I had to say mattered and was heard,” Ortega said. “And as the show went on, we all got a better feel for one another and it’s become a really collaborative experience, and I feel really lucky to be able to be in the room early next season and be talking about scripts and giving notes.”

Jenna Ortega is taking Wednesday season 2 very seriously

“I feel really, really fortunate to be coming on as a producer this time around,” Ortega continued. “I think a project is best when there’s as many voices and ideas thrown out as possible. And I’ve had experiences in TV where I felt my voice wasn’t heard, that I was meant to be a puppet.”

"I’ve been told on sets, “You wouldn’t know because you’re not a writer,” or, “Just shut up and do your job.” From 12 years old, I’ve been hearing things like that. So, I went into Wednesday with hesitance. But I was fortunate to be working with someone like Tim Burton, who pulled me in his trailer one day and said that he wanted to be a soundboard for my voice. So, every day, me, him, the writers, we’d get together in the morning and go through sides."

I love Jenna Ortega’s eagerness and drive to get the job done and be as involved as possible. As an actor, it can be easy to get viewed as just the person who delivers the line. But Ortega has ownership over her performance and this character, and she’s staking her claim. I hope that she continues to be recognized for all the work she does; she deserves it! On that note, keep an eye out for the official 2023 Primetime Emmy nominations, which will be announced on July 12.

Wednesday star Percy Hynes White responds to abuse allegations

In less inspiring news, Wednesday star Percy Hynes White — who played Wednesday’s love interest Xavier in the first season — has been under fire after people on Twitter accused him of impropriety back in January. In a series of now-deleted tweets, he was accused of pursuing sexual relationships with girls as young as 13 when he was between 17 and 20. Other people joined the thread and made other allegations, including that he used racial slurs and made inappropriate jokes.

Now, White has responded to the allegations on his Instagram, per The A.V. Club. “The rumors are false,” he said. “I can’t accept the portrayal of me as someone bigoted, or criminally negligent of people’s safety. These are the kind of baseless, harmful claims that can create mistrust toward victims.”

White also said that his family had been doxxed and his that his friends had received death threats as a result of the allegations. “My friend Jane was recently portrayed as a victim, and her attempts to set the record straight have been ignored. She gave me permission to include her in this message.”

It is unknown if White will return for Wednesday season 2, which we may not see for a while given the ongoing writer’s strike and a potential actors’ strike in the near future.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime, and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels

h/t The A.V. Club