- 2 days ago
Step behind the eerie curtain of Netflix’s "Wednesday" with chilling insights and untold stories from its spooky set. From Jenna Ortega becoming an official producer to the painstaking handpainting of Wednesday’s uniform, discover the dedication, creativity, and secrets that shaped this captivating series. Fans will also uncover Tim Burton’s signature touches, epic stunts, and the surprising inspirations behind the show’s iconic moments.
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00:00You know, we have roots that go all the way back to Joseph Cragstow.
00:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:05And today, we're counting down our picks for the creepiest and kookiest,
00:08mysterious and spookiest, altogether ookiest facts and stories from the set of Netflix's Wednesday.
00:18Number 20. Jenna Ortega Becomes a Producer.
00:22From what we've heard, the Wednesday set has always been a collaborative space.
00:26Well, Ortega took that on in a more official role when she was offered a seat at the producer's table ahead of season two.
00:32I feel really, really lucky and fortunate to be coming on as a producer this time around.
00:36And I think it's because I was going to piggyback off of what you're saying in terms of,
00:39I feel like any of the best teams or environments I've been on on set have been people who are very collaborative and wanted to hear different opinions.
00:47For Ortega, the all-hands-in approach was a dream and something she champions greatly.
00:52Having been on the scene since childhood, she's been no stranger to hearing voices shut out of conversations
00:57just because they didn't have the right job title or status.
01:00I've had experiences on television where I felt like my voice wasn't heard,
01:04that I wanted, I was meant to be a puppet, that I didn't really get to say,
01:08I've been told on set, you wouldn't know because, you know, you're not a writer or like, just shut up and do your job.
01:15However, Tim Burton always kept her in the loop, helping her shape Wednesday into something that felt just right.
01:20And we have no doubt she'll keep being that sounding board for everyone else this time around.
01:25Pulled me in his trailer one day and said that he wanted to be a soundboard for my voice.
01:28So every day, me, him, the writers, we would get together in the morning and go through sides.
01:33Number 19. A cut above for character commitment.
01:37As we'll see later on, Ortega went above and beyond to shape the Wednesday that captured all our hearts.
01:42They've been looking for any excuse to send me here.
01:45It's all a part of their nefarious yet completely obvious plan.
01:48What plan?
01:50To turn me into a version of themselves.
01:53However, before all that, she had to find the look.
01:55As Ortega recalled during a hair and makeup test, she tried all sorts of styles, from varying types of braids to silver strands.
02:03At one point, the hairstylist brought in a clip-on fringe.
02:06Burton was intrigued, but Ortega felt it wasn't quite right.
02:09So instead, she suggested they just cut her hair into bangs.
02:12We just tried all different variations, and at some point, the hairdresser that we were working with, Paul, he brought out a clip of fringe.
02:19There was something about it that Tim really enjoyed, but something about it that was a bit off.
02:24So I told the hairdresser, I said, hey, maybe, maybe just cut my actual hair.
02:27If she hated it, there was time to grow it out, right?
02:30Well, it worked, and it stuck.
02:32Fred Armisen showed similar sheer dedication, shaving his head to play Uncle Fester.
02:36I mean, I shaved my head for it, so it's dedication.
02:39Number 18. Wednesday's uniform was hand-painted.
02:43What does one do when their school uniform is an almost color-shifting purple, but they're, quote, allergic to color?
02:49Well, get your own custom-made black and gray version, of course.
02:53What happens to you?
02:54I break out into hives, and then the flesh peels off my bones.
02:58Luckily, we've special-ordered you a uniform.
03:01Only, costume designer Colleen Atwood didn't love the look of what was readily available.
03:05So instead, she had the uniform hand-crafted.
03:08They actually drew and painted the stripe pattern by hand, then used a method called silk screening,
03:13which is basically pressing paint through a stencil to apply the design to the fabric.
03:17I couldn't find a stripe that I liked that was gray and black.
03:22I had this idea of silk screening the stripes on fabric, so I could get a stripe that wasn't just a hard black and gray stripe,
03:29but that could be graded on the two sides and not a regular stripe.
03:33The result was a softer, more matte finish, and a look that was totally unique and unmistakably Wednesday.
03:40Look at you, my little death trap.
03:43Seeing you in this uniform brings back so many terrible memories, doesn't it, Tish?
03:48Yes.
03:49Number 17.
03:50The Man Behind the Monster.
03:52Season 1 introduced us to the terrifying Hyde, a large, monstrous creature inspired by Jekyll and Hyde.
03:58Faulkner describes Hyde as artists by nature, but equally vindictive in temperament.
04:03Born of mutation, the Hyde lays dormant until unleashed by a traumatic event or unlocked through chemical inducement or hypnosis.
04:09The creature becomes the center of the mysterious series of murders Wednesday investigates.
04:14You might think a creature that nightmarish would be a full CGI job.
04:17And to an extent, you'd be right.
04:19However, while Hunter Doohan, who plays Tyler Galpin, is probably the name that springs to mind first when you think of Hyde,
04:35he's not the only one who brought the creature to life.
04:38Daniel Hemshoot, a stuntman and double, has also shared how he helped animate the terrifying monster.
04:43It all came about, and then suddenly I'm on stilts and crutches and playing this monster in the series, and it was awesome.
04:51Huh, doesn't seem quite as scary now in this new light, does it?
04:55Number 16.
04:56Hunter Doohan took a driving test for one scene.
04:59If only there were a way for us to get off campus.
05:01Remember when you took your driving test?
05:03Maybe you passed on the first try, or the second.
05:06Maybe your attempt count goes into the double digits.
05:08Now imagine having to take it again, just for a single scene.
05:12Scratch that, what if you had to take it for just a fraction of a scene?
05:15I thought we were going on a date.
05:17I thought this was a girls' night out.
05:18There's been a change of plans.
05:21Okay, what's up with the weird matching hoodie scarf thingies?
05:24Don't ask. Just drive.
05:26In the episode where Wednesday lures Tyler and Enid to check out the Gates mansion,
05:30we briefly see Tyler pulling away from Nevermore.
05:33Well, as Hunter Doohan told 17,
05:35he had to take a driving test to make sure he wouldn't stall on their slightly unconventional journey.
05:40What would they have done if he'd failed?
05:41They don't like actors to drive.
05:42I had to take a driving test to, like, pull off in that one scene.
05:46Remember I drove, like, two feet?
05:48I had to do a test to make sure I could handle that.
05:51Number 15. Lady Gaga's VIP Treatment.
05:54Netflix pulled out all the stops to announce one of the newest members of the Nevermore faculty.
05:59But for Lady Gaga, this performance was really just another, well, Wednesday.
06:03I always dance, dance with my hands, dance above my head, head, head, head, head, Jesus said.
06:10Uki and Kooky has basically been her brand since day one.
06:14It seems that Netflix didn't just go all out for Gaga at their Tudum event, but also on the set of Wednesday.
06:19According to Ortega, on the day the singer arrived, suddenly everything about the production stepped up.
06:25And they had, like, rolled out this walkway for her to exit from the trailer to the tents.
06:31I went to my tent to hang out, and they replaced my dirty tent with, like, brand new tents.
06:36I had a barber's chair.
06:37They gave me fancy water.
06:39Everything.
06:40We, like, really did it up for her, guys.
06:41We really wanted to impress her.
06:43They'd really rolled out the red carpet for her.
06:45Or, should we say, black carpet?
06:47The star joked that without Gaga's presence, everything returned to normal pretty quickly.
06:52The next day I went back to my dusty set-up.
06:57All right, Gaga's gone.
06:58Bring in the garbage.
06:59Yeah.
07:00I wanted her to be on set even more, but part of it was because the water was really nice.
07:06Number 14.
07:07The Two Lakes of the Poke-Up Race
07:09According to Joy Sunday, who plays Bianca Barclay,
07:12the entire cast had early call times to learn how to canoe,
07:15and racing was definitely encouraged.
07:18She described the experience as grueling.
07:29Still, all those hours of training paid off when it came time to film the Poke-Up Race.
07:33In the series, the teams race along the Jericho River.
07:36Jericho, Vermont, where the series is set, is a real place.
07:40The Jericho River, though, not so much.
07:42Well, at least not here.
07:44The final two teams are the Goh Pugs
07:46and the Black Pats.
07:51The production used not one, but two locations,
07:54Branesht Lake and Styrbae Lake, near Bucharest.
07:57This is the greatest moment of my entire life.
08:01Admit it, you kind of got into the whole school spirit thing.
08:07You didn't tell me it was a dark, vengeful spirit.
08:09In fact, most of season one was filmed in Romania, which brings us to our next point.
08:15Number 13, From Romania to Ireland.
08:18The first season one was in Romania, you shot it?
08:21Yes, it was.
08:21Okay, so this, where did you shoot this season?
08:23Dublin, Ireland.
08:24Oh, really?
08:25Very different.
08:25Yes, for season one, the Wednesday crew took off to Romania.
08:29The country's gothic look was spot on for the show's dark and spooky style.
08:33Tim Burton even said it, quote,
08:34If you're a super fan, you can find plenty of guides online to check out the filming spots
08:50like Canta Cusino Castle, which stood in for Nevermore's grounds.
08:54Then for season two, it was announced that they'd be filming in Ireland,
08:57another place that captures the eerie feel of the series.
09:00Plus, Dublin-born Bram Stoker, the mastermind behind Dracula,
09:04which, by the way, is set in Romania, was apparently part of the inspiration, too.
09:08This is the first time you've ever willingly returned to a school.
09:14How does it feel?
09:15Like returning to the scene of the crime.
09:17I already know where the bodies are buried.
09:19Number 12, The Carrie-esque shoot needed multiple takes.
09:23Season one, episode four is perhaps best remembered for Wednesday's now viral dance,
09:28but there was another moment in that episode that kept the crew on their toes.
09:32Guys, I was thinking that maybe this isn't such a good idea.
09:34I don't want my dad to get any blowback or anything, you know?
09:36Dude, you're the whole reason we're even doing this,
09:39to get revenge on those freaks from nuking crackstones fountain.
09:42Yeah, don't tell me you've got a soft like Tyler.
09:44Lucas and his friends seem to take some loose inspiration from the 1976 flick Carrie
09:48and use the sprinklers to rain red down on the students.
09:52While Wednesday is seemingly unnerved by this turn of events,
09:55the hair, makeup, and costume teams weren't having much fun off in the sidelines.
10:04You see, they'd been told this would just take one take,
10:07which of course it did not.
10:09They were on standby with backup wigs,
10:11but apparently fake blood takes quite a bit of cleaning to remove.
10:14They couldn't even spring for real pigs, though.
10:19It's only pain.
10:21Number 11, The Werewolf Boot Camp.
10:23Emma Myers does a phenomenal job playing Enid,
10:26and did you know she actually did a fair share of her own stunts?
10:29Think that's impressive?
10:30Well, what if we told you that she attended Werewolf Boot Camp,
10:33along with her pack, to truly get into character?
10:35Where it was me and a couple other guys crawling around on the floor,
10:40growling at each other.
10:42That was weird, I'll never forget that.
10:44Yes, that is a thing, apparently.
10:46And it sounds like she really learned to unleash her inner beast.
10:49Turns out being a werewolf requires a lot of stamina and a high level of athleticism.
10:54They asked me to come in and do, you know, Werewolf Boot Camp,
10:57and I was like, okay, what does this mean?
10:58Werewolf Boot Camp.
10:59And I walked, yeah, it's like...
11:01Professionally, people do this.
11:02Oh, it's, they like...
11:04Werewolf Boot Camp.
11:05I've never done so much parkour in my life.
11:07It was me like...
11:08I'm assuming.
11:09...running on the floor on all fours,
11:11leaping over things.
11:13Although we have to say we definitely need to see Myers and company
11:16chasing after their instructors while they pretend to be sheep,
11:19we really hope that footage exists.
11:21We had these stunt guys pretending to be sheep,
11:23and we would like surf, like crawl around them in a certain...
11:27Number 10.
11:28Jenna Ortega's Gory Audition.
11:34The actress was shooting another movie called X
11:37when she auditioned to play Wednesday Addams.
11:40She'd just finished filming a rather eventful scene
11:43when she hopped onto the Zoom call covered in fake blood
11:45and other stage makeup.
11:47I'd rather stick needles in my eyes.
11:51I'd probably do that anyway.
11:52Luckily for the actress,
11:54Tim Burton famously has a taste for the macabre,
11:56so when he saw her, he couldn't help but laugh.
11:59Reportedly, Burton reached out to the actress himself
12:02as he was very interested in her playing the iconic role,
12:05and has since said he, quote,
12:06can't imagine any other Wednesday.
12:09If you ask us,
12:10it sounds like an audition story
12:11that would make Wednesday herself very proud.
12:14You know, if she cared.
12:15It's nothing personal.
12:16No, it never is with you, is it?
12:19I mean, do you even care about anyone
12:20or anything at all Wednesday?
12:22Number 9.
12:23Tim Burton Easter Eggs.
12:25Tim Burton was meant to direct the 1991
12:27The Addams Family movie,
12:29but passed since he was filming
12:30Batman Returns at the time.
12:32Fortunately, the opportunity to revisit
12:34the altogether ookie family rolled around once again.
12:38I prefer spooky.
12:39Oh.
12:40Burton's aesthetic is evident throughout the series,
12:43but production designer Mark Scruton
12:44also added some Easter eggs
12:46calling back to the director's previous works.
12:49Check out the back wall of the Weathervane Cafe
12:51and see how many nods you can spot.
12:53I think the kit behind the counter has clocked me.
12:57Yeah.
12:58Here, we'll get you started.
12:59That headless horseman gives us real Sleepy Hollow vibes.
13:03Also, composer Danny Elfman
13:04was supposedly influenced by original cartoonist
13:07Charles Adams' drawings
13:09and incorporated a harpsichord
13:11to connect the series to the 60s television series.
13:13Number 8
13:22Why Nevermore's Roof Looks Familiar
13:24Nevermore is like no other boarding school.
13:28It's a magical place.
13:30As one Reddit user pointed out,
13:31Wednesday's new school Nevermore
13:33and her family's home share a similar aesthetic,
13:36and their roofs could almost be mirror images.
13:39This reflects Burton style,
13:41which tends to dip into the Gothic and German expressionism,
13:44among other art movements.
13:45So it's pretty handy that the Adams family world
13:48lends itself perfectly to the Burton-esque style.
13:51What the hell did you do to my room?
13:54Dividing our room equally.
13:58Looks like a rainbow vomited on your side.
14:01But apparently, this was also a deliberate choice
14:03so that the school matched the show's famous look,
14:06while a few digital touches gave it a more modern edge.
14:09Meanwhile, hardcore Adams family fans
14:12might have also noticed a bear in Principal Weems' office
14:15that calls back to one from the Adams home
14:17in the original television show.
14:19Did you hear that, my little storm cloud?
14:21You're in excellent hands.
14:23Number 7.
14:24Thora Birch was reportedly meant to play a key role.
14:27The actress, who you may know best as Danny Denison from Hocus Pocus,
14:31was originally meant to play Wednesday's doormother
14:34and resident Normie, Tamara Novak.
14:36She reportedly filmed the bulk of her scenes
14:38before abruptly leaving due to a, quote,
14:40personal matter.
14:41Oh, stay for supper.
14:45I'm not hungry.
14:47However, based on an interview with Entertainment Tonight,
14:50it sounds like there could be more to the story.
14:53Rather than recast the role,
14:55the writers created a brand new character, Marilyn Thornhill,
14:58played by former Wednesday Adams' Christina Ricci.
15:00Oh, sorry about the mud.
15:03Wanted to make sure that Wednesday was settling in.
15:06The actress shared that she, quote,
15:08was thrilled and really flattered by the offer.
15:11You know what they say.
15:12Sometimes things have to fall apart to make way for an epic throwback,
15:15or something to that effect.
15:17What old, Leander?
15:19What of nature's deathliest?
15:20It also symbolizes destiny and renewal.
15:24Number 6.
15:25A nod to Alfred Hitchcock
15:27Burden wasn't the only master of the macabre on the Wednesday set.
15:30According to costume designer Colleen Atwood,
15:33her inspiration for Nevermore's principal, Larissa Weems,
15:36came from a poster of Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.
15:40Looks like another successful outreach day is upon us.
15:43She approached Gwendolyn Christie with the image and told her, quote,
15:47This is who I think you are.
15:49The actress loved it and said, quote,
15:51It's the first time I've ever felt beautiful on screen.
15:54Oh, don't be so modest.
15:56You always filled a room with your presence.
15:59She definitely looks stunning.
16:01And the fact that she's a walking tribute to one of horror's most iconic movies is a bonus.
16:06Getting to emulate Melanie Daniels without the fear of being attacked by killer birds
16:10sounds like a pretty awesome experience.
16:12Where you see doom, I see opportunity.
16:17Maybe this is a chance to rewrite the wrongs.
16:19Number 5.
16:20The symbolism of Nevermore's gargoyles
16:22No gothic building would be complete without some gargoyles to give us the creeps.
16:27But there's more to those who reside around Nevermore than meets the eye.
16:31When you first approach the building,
16:33the gargoyles hovering over the entrance represent the different cliques at the school.
16:36I'm not interested in participating in tribal adolescent cliches.
16:40Then use it to fill your obviously bottomless pit of disdain.
16:43There are many flavors of outcasts here, but the four main cliques are fangs, furs, stoners, and scales.
16:50But that's not all.
16:51Pay close attention to the grotesque statues throughout the film,
16:54as their expressions differ based on their angle or the scene's action.
16:58Talk about attention to detail.
17:00It kind of makes the gargoyles feel like additional characters, don't you think?
17:04Don't worry, Edgar Allan.
17:06I see your sanctimonious smirk.
17:09But I will get the last laugh.
17:11Also, as Scruton told Variety,
17:13the one scene in the quad contained nods to other Burton characters.
17:17Did you notice any?
17:18I'm just trying to uncover the truth.
17:19And your art seems to have a recurring motif.
17:21Number 4.
17:22Jenna Ortega didn't ask Christina Ricci for character notes.
17:26It's a huge challenge to bring a well-known character to life
17:30and still put a unique spin on her.
17:32So you might think that having a former Wednesday on set would be pretty helpful.
17:35You two seemed as thick as thieves.
17:38Ultimately, thieves turn on each other.
17:40I've seen it with my own eyes.
17:42However, according to Ortega,
17:44she and Ricci didn't share notes since their two characters are, quote,
17:48very different people.
17:49The actress didn't want to copy her predecessor's performance,
17:52while Ricci seemingly wanted to give Ortega the space
17:55to make Wednesday her own.
17:56I bet sometimes you wish it was still just the two of you.
18:01Or less.
18:03Although it is worth noting that Ricci's Wednesday was a child,
18:06while Ortega's is a teenager,
18:08so they were always going to be different to some extent.
18:11Still, we love both interpretations equally,
18:14and both are undeniable icons.
18:16I'll survive alone.
18:18I always have.
18:19Number 3.
18:20How Thing Got Around
18:21You're probably thinking,
18:23well, that's obvious.
18:24It's the 21st century.
18:25Clearly, either they were using CGI or it's animatronic.
18:29Well, in both cases, you'd be wrong.
18:32Because this thing was played by Vitor Dorobantu,
18:35who had the famous hand built around his real one.
18:37Did you really think my highly trained olfactory sense
18:40wouldn't pick up on the faint whiff of neroli and bergamot
18:43in your favorite hand lotion?
18:44Behind-the-scenes photos show the actor in a blue suit
18:47crouching, laying, or standing in positions
18:49that look less than comfortable.
18:51In some shots, you can see him lying across a motorized platform
18:54that gives the illusion of the hand walking around.
18:57Hit under tables, crouch behind Jenna Ortega,
19:00and even shot scenes underwater to make Thing come to life.
19:03Incidentally, like Christopher Hart,
19:05who played Thing in the 90s,
19:07Dorobantu is also a magician.
19:09You've got to hand it to them.
19:11This is excellent casting.
19:12And Dorobantu really adds a magic touch.
19:15It's a really hard process because you have to show emotions
19:19through a simple hand that doesn't have voice or subtitles.
19:22Number 2.
19:23Jenna Ortega learned new skills for the role.
19:26Unlike previous Wednesdays,
19:27this one's picked up a few more hobbies besides torturing Pugsley.
19:31Want to take a stab at being social?
19:33I do like stabbing.
19:35The social part, not so much.
19:37Ortega put in the hours to learn her character's favorite pastimes,
19:41including lessons in fencing, archery, and canoeing,
19:44and she took cello lessons two times a week.
19:48Also, if you want to learn more about fudge and colonialism in German,
19:52she's your gal.
20:06Needless to say,
20:07the hours she put in paid off
20:09as she masters the Rolling Stones' paint it black beautifully.
20:12And her fencing skills are on point.
20:15Another way that this Wednesday stands out is that she rarely blinks.
20:18Apparently, Ortega filmed one take without blinking,
20:21and Burton liked it so much that he decided to make it a character trait.
20:25She's like a silent movie actress in the sense where she's able to convey things without words.
20:30And to see the inner life and the subtleties was very exciting.
20:34Before we unveil our top pick,
20:36here are a few honorable mentions.
20:38Perfection is never rushed.
20:40Apparently, Catherine Zeta-Jones would spend about 2.5 hours getting into her Morticia glam.
20:45George Bircha is the shortest live-action Lurch.
21:04Coming in at 6'6", rumor has it he wore lifts in his shoes.
21:08Lurch, the crystal ball, please.
21:14A new Netflix record.
21:15It outstreamed Stranger Things Season 4,
21:18becoming the biggest English-language series in a single week.
21:21That boy's family was going to file attempted murder charges.
21:25How would that have looked on your record?
21:27Terrible.
21:29Everyone would know I failed to get the job done.
21:31Before we continue,
21:33be sure to subscribe to our channel
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21:44make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
21:47Number 1.
21:49Jenna Ortega choreographed that dance.
21:52In one of the series' most talked-about moments,
21:54we see Wednesday hit the dance floor to Goo Goo Muck by the cramps.
21:58But did you know that those killer moves were Jenna Ortega's creation?
22:01You better dance when I show up for Goo Goo Muck.
22:05Really, if there was any dance style to personify Wednesday and her kooky family,
22:11this is it.
22:12The actress took inspiration from various influences,
22:15including Bob Fosse,
22:16Susie Sue,
22:1780s goths in nightclubs,
22:19and more.
22:20Eagle-eyed Adam's family fans will even spot nods
22:31to the original Wednesday Lisa Loring's signature move.
22:35It almost feels like she channeled the entire Adam's ancestry
22:38to come up with the perfect moves,
22:40and she had to perform the dance soon after contracting COVID.
22:43What's got you most excited about Wednesday Season 2?
22:52Let us know in the comments.
22:53I think contrition might be in order right now, Miss Adams.
22:57Not hubris.
22:58I'll never apologize for trying to uncover a truth.
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