The dance scene from Netflix’s Wednesday is one of the most memorable and famous parts of the Tim Burton series, but actress Jenna Ortega’s reaction to its reception completely reframes the scene. As the newest addition to the Addams Family franchise, Wednesday centers around the titular creepy character as she adjusts to life at her new boarding school, Nevermore Academy, after an “incident” occurs at her old school. With the added pressures of a monster afoot and the legacies her parents left at Nevermore, their alma mater, Wednesday Addams has more to worry about than just carving out a spot for herself at a new school.
After Wednesday befriends one of the local boys, Tyler, the two Wednesday characters attend a Nevermore school dance together, where Wednesday memorably dances to “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps. Though the scene has become one of the Netflix series’ most famous, Wednesday Addams actress Jenna Ortega had a different reaction to it, stating, “I was hoping people wouldn’t pay so much attention to that part. It’s disorientating. I don’t think people are naturally designed to have that many eyes on them.” (via The Times) Ortega’s thoughts about the famous dance scene expose that its virality might be good publicity, but it’s actually not good for Wednesday.
Jenna Ortega's Wednesday Dance Fears Highlight A Scene Problem
Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega’s comments about the Netflix show’s infamous dance scene not only reveal her personal feelings about the viral trend, but expose an issue with the scene’s perception. Despite the Wednesday dance scene’s virality, Ortega’s dance wasn’t designed with that intent in mind. Rather, the dance serves a specific purpose in the context of Wednesday’s story. Not only does Wednesday’s dance say something about the Addams Family character’s persona, but the scene is a moment of Wednesday being completely herself in spite of everyone else at the dance, including her best friend Gwen and date Tyler (who turns out to be evil).
The fact that the dance going viral loses the act’s initial meaning, creating an issue with the scene in Netflix’s Wednesday. It’s impressive that the Wednesday dance drew so much attention, but unfortunately, that comes at the cost of the trend’s virality misconstruing the original meaning and intent behind the character’s iconic dance, almost cheapening it. Seeing the dance without watching in the context of Netflix’s Wednesday show first can completely change not only the scene’s interpretation, but also that of Jenna Ortega's Wednesday. Sadly, this proves that Jenna Ortega’s concerns about the Wednesday dance scene are well-founded.
How The Wednesday Dance's Popularity Could Hurt The Character
Though it’s good that Wednesday’s viral dance got so popular because it could draw more eyes to the Netflix series, it also has the potential to hurt the Addams Family character. If all people have seen of Wednesday is the viral dance scene, it makes Wednesday Addams merely seem “quirky,” but this idea completely misses the point of the character. One of Wednesday Addams’ struggles throughout Netflix’s Wednesday is being taken seriously by peers, and being reduced to this trait is reductive in essentially the same vein. As such, the Wednesday dance scene is fun, but the only way to completely experience who this version of Wednesday Addams is ultimately is through watching the full Netflix show.