Netflix dropped some major casting tea this morning for the upcoming season of its goth-tastic hitWednesday, whereJenna Ortegareigns supreme as the delightfully macabre protagonist.As the spooky doors of Nevermore Academyswing open once again, some familiar faces won’t be returning to roam its eerie halls.Percy Hynes WhiteandNaomi J Ogawa, who gave life to fan-favorites Xavier Thorpe and Yoko Tanaka, respectively, are bidding adieu to series regular statuses, whileJamie McShaneis set to only make a guest appearance, reprising his role as the troubled Sheriff Donovan Galpin.
The good sheriff was left reeling in the Season 1 finale, grappling with the shocking revelation that his son Tyler (played by the returningHunter Doohan) was the monstrous Hyde. The plot thickened as Tyler, in a classic monster-movie cliffhanger, tried to morph his way out of a tight spot. Galpin’s badge might be getting a new shine, though, asLuyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo, who plays Deputy Ritchie Santiago, steps up as a series regular, news which hints at a new story path to wander down, with the potential for a new sheriff roaming these here parts.
Christopher Lloyd and Steve Buscemi Join ‘Wednesday’ Season 2
Billie Piper and Haley Joel Osment are also officially joining the hit Netflix series.
No More Romance for ‘Wednesday’
As for White’s psychic heartthrob Xavier, despite saving his skin in the finale and heating up the screen with Wednesday, rumour mills spun tales of his potential exit even asDeadline reported his option extension last year. Ortega, for her part, wasn’t keen on the romantic side to the show andfelt it didn’t make a lot of sense for her character.
“We’ve decided we want to lean into the horror aspect of the show a little bit more. Because it is so lighthearted, and a show like this with vampires and werewolves and superpowers, you don’t want to take yourself too seriously. We’re ditching any romantic love interest for Wednesday, which is really great."
Meanwhile,Ogawa’s Yoko, despite her cool vampire creds and ties to the enigmatic Nightshade Society, found herself fading into the background, making her departure a less shocking, but still poignant, update. Ortega is not just returning in front of the camera but stepping behind it as a producer, promising to dial up the horror and dial down the teen angst. With the news of a new direction for the series, the changes to the cast do make a lot of sense. So, brace yourselves, horror buffs and romantics, because it sounds likeWednesdaySeason 2 is set to be a bone-chilling affair with less lovey-dovey fluff.
Wednesday follows the journey of Wednesday Addams as she attends Nevermore Academy, a boarding school for outcasts. Tasked with mastering her psychic abilities, she confronts a series of town murders and a haunting family mystery from 25 years ago, all while managing new social dynamics.
Watch on Netflix
