The Addams Family are back on our screens in the second series of Wednesday, starring Jenna Ortega, on Netflix from August 6. But what happened to the stars of the spooktacular 90s films?
Jenna Ortega is back as Wednesday Addams in the spooky TV spectacle of the summer. You could even say it’s creepy, kooky and mysterious – and season two of Wednesday is available on Netflix from August 6.
It features some familiar faces, like Catherine Zeta Jones returning as Morticia, as well as new additions like Joanna Lumley as Grandmama. But whatever happened to the stars of the original Addams Family films?
Now you’re humming the catchy theme tune (da-da-da-dum-click-click), it’s time to find out…
Angelica Houston –Morticia
Academy Award winner Angelica beat Cher – can you Believe?! – to the role of matriarch and bondage-lover Morticia in the 1991 original movie.
A class act, Anjelica, who famously dated Jack Nicholson, appeared in a trio of Wes Anderson projects, notably The Royal Tenenbaums, action flick John Wicks 3, and recent spin-off Ballerina. In March, she popped up in the Beeb’s Agatha Christie adaptation Towards Zero.
Taking after director dad John, Angelica stepped behind the camera to shoot Bastard Out of Carolina (‘96), with Ricci, no less, and Agnes Brown (‘98). In 2010, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Raul Julia – Gomez
First lighting up the stage as a theatre performer, Raul was born to play daddy (and let’s face it, absolute DILF) Gomez. Sadly, tragedy struck soon after. The actor died of complications from a stroke in October 1994 at 54, having been diagnosed with stomach cancer three years prior.
Gone but not forgotten, memories of Raul live on through his co-stars. On-screen missus Angelica described him as “a perfect gentleman” and said he was “the first on set and the last to leave.” He did have to miss several days of filming, mind, after bursting blood vessels in his eye due to stress!
Raul’s swan-song outings were in Street Fighter and The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story, both released in ‘94. He was given a state funeral in his native Puerto Rico.
Christina Ricci – Wednesday
Bucking the dark trend for tragic child stars, Christina Ricci didn’t disappear into anonymity – or worse. The then-10-year-old became a household name for her preternaturally poised performance as the wicked-beyond-her-years Wednesday.
She starred in a steady stream of kid-friendly hits – Casper, Now and Then – before transitioning into adult fare, from The Ice Storm and Buffalo ‘66 to Tim Burton blockbuster Sleepy Hollow, with Johnny Depp and Christopher Walken.
Now 45, Ricci rode a fresh wave of buzz as spec-tastic sociopath Misty in smash Yellowjackets, scoring Emmy and Golden Globe nods. She has now been welcomed back into the Addams fold, playing treacherous teacher Marilyn Thornhill in Wednesday.
Christopher Lloyd – Uncle Fester
With two iconic roles under his belt, as eccentric Doc Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, and evil Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Lloyd boldly, or rather, baldly, went forth as Uncle Fester.
Since then, Lloyd has boosted his CV with gill-ty pleasure Piranha 3D, and the George Clooney-directed The Tender Bar, not to mention guest stints on The Mandalorian and Hacks. Like Ricci he’ll return to his roots, playing the mysterious Professor Orloff, in series two of Wednesday.
Joan Cusack – Debbie Jelinsky
Firstly, Joan Cusack should’ve bagged every gong going for her scene-munching showcase as demented serial killer Debs, hellbent on murdering hubby Fester in The Addams Family Values (1993). Remember folks, if your kid asks for Ballerina Barbie, do not get her Malibu Barbie…
Unsurprisingly Cusack, sister of fellow actor John, continued to slay, securing a second Oscar nom for 1998’s In and Out; her first was for Working Girl (‘89). She also voiced cowgirl Jessie in Toy Story and is currently filming the fifth entry.
Jimmy Workman – Pugsley
A twist of fate saw Jimmy cast as Pugsley. Aged eight, he kept his older sister Shanelle company while she auditioned for Wednesday. Director Bazza spotted Jimmy and asked him to read for the part. Retired from acting, the 44-year-old now works behind the scenes in film and telly as a transportation coordinator and captain.
Carel Struycken – Lurch
Standing at seven-foot tall, gentle giant Carel delivered and then some as gloomy butler Lurch. The Dutch actor – who has acromegaly, a disorder which results in the excess growth of parts of the body – also measured up in 1997’s Men in Black, with Will Smith, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
John Franklin – Cousin Itt
Fortunately, things didn’t get any hairier for John after he brought furball Cousin Itt to life. The costume, he says, weighed more than 35lbs: “There was a scuba-sized mask in the front that could clip open between takes… I had no idea it would be that heavy and hot!” John continued to act and also penned young adult books.
Christopher Hart – Thing
Actor and magician Hart had the most hands-on job in Hollywood as The Thing. Of the audition process, he said: “They wanted to see my hand crawl around a little bit. Then they wanted to see my hand happy, sad, nervous, sleepy.” He also played The Hand and The Hands, respectively, in Idle Hands and Buffy spin-off Angel. Talk about typecasting!
