From the original 1964 sitcom to Netflix’s global phenomenon, Wednesday Addams has been brought to life by nine different actresses across film, television, and animation. Each performer brought something different to the morbidly pale, pigtail-wearing daughter of Gomez and Morticia. Some versions leaned into the character’s dark comedy, while others made her a colder, more internal figure. Here is a look at every Wednesday Addams, ranked from the least memorable to the most iconic.
Noelle Von Sonn In The Addams Family Fun House (1973)
Noelle Von Sonn was set to play Wednesday in a 1973 musical variety TV pilot called The Addams Family Fun House. The project never made it to air, and the pilot was never picked up for a full series. Because the special was never broadcast and no public promotions were released, Von Sonn’s version of Wednesday remains largely unseen. Aside from her work in the lost pilot, she appeared in one episode of the series Room 222. Her Wednesday exists only as a footnote in the character’s on-screen history.
Cindy Henderson In The Addams Family (1973)
Cindy Henderson voiced Wednesday in the 1973 animated series The Addams Family, which grew out of a crossover episode of The New Scooby-Doo Movies titled “Wednesday is Missing.” This version of Wednesday wore pink and had a cheerful personality, a far cry from the dark character audiences know today. The show lasted only one season, and Henderson never returned to the role. She died in 2010 at age 56.
Debi Derryberry In The Addams Family (1992-1993)
Debi Derryberry lent her voice to Wednesday in the 1992 animated series The Addams Family. This version toned down Wednesday’s dark nature to make the family more child-friendly. She was often seen smiling, and her sinister thoughts stayed mostly hidden. The animation style is rarely seen today, which gives the show a certain nostalgic charm, but Wednesday’s sharp edge was largely missing.
Nicole Fugere In The New Addams Family (1998-1999) And Addams Family Reunion (1998)
Nicole Fugere took on the role of Wednesday in the straight-to-video movie Addams Family Reunion and the follow-up series The New Addams Family, which aired on Fox Family from 1998 to 1999. Fugere was the only cast member to appear in both projects. She captured Wednesday’s monotone voice and evil glare well, and the series gave the character a more prominent role than the original 1964 show. The production value of these projects was lower than the 1990s films, which limited how much the cast could shine. Fugere retired from acting after this role.
Lisa Loring In The Addams Family (1964-1966) And Halloween With The New Addams Family (1977)
Lisa Loring was the first actress to play Wednesday Addams on screen. She took on the role at just six years old in the 1964 sitcom The Addams Family, which ran until 1966. Her Wednesday was tamer and sweeter than later versions, but she established the character’s look with the dark dresses and pigtails. Loring returned as an adult Wednesday in the 1977 TV reunion film Halloween with the New Addams Family. She died in January 2023 at age 64 from a stroke. Wednesday remained her most well-known role.
Chloë Grace Moretz In The Addams Family (2019) And The Addams Family 2 (2021)
Chloë Grace Moretz voiced Wednesday in the two animated films The Addams Family (2019) and The Addams Family 2 (2021). Moretz said she chose not to rely on previous performances when creating her version of the character. This Wednesday once again looked closer to Charles Addams’ original cartoons, with a darker visual style, but kept the ominous presence of the 1990s version. The films gave Wednesday a bigger role than some earlier adaptations, and Moretz brought a modern voice to the character.
Melissa Hunter In Adult Wednesday Addams (2013-2015)
Melissa Hunter created and starred in the web series Adult Wednesday Addams, which followed a grown-up Wednesday navigating life in Los Angeles. The series earned over 20 million views and 250,000 YouTube subscribers. Hunter captured Wednesday’s dark sarcasm and stone-cold demeanor, and the show received praise from the LA Times, People Magazine, and the AV Club. The series was taken down after the estate of Charles Addams issued a cease and desist order, but it remains a fan-favorite version of the character.
Christina Ricci In The Addams Family (1991) And Addams Family Values (1993)
Christina Ricci played Wednesday in the 1991 film The Addams Family and its 1993 sequel Addams Family Values. She was 10 years old when she first took on the role. Ricci’s Wednesday was over-the-top and mischievous, and her performance is often described as the definitive version of the character for decades. The scene where she smiles while watching a Thanksgiving play is one of the most memorable moments in the franchise. Ricci later returned to the Addams world in the Netflix series Wednesday as Marilyn Thornhill, a different character.
“It’s a different character to the one I played,” Ricci told Digital Spy about her return to the franchise.
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Jenna Ortega In Wednesday (2022-Present)
Jenna Ortega plays Wednesday in the Netflix series Wednesday, which premiered in 2022 and has run for multiple seasons. Ortega’s version is quieter, colder, and more internal than Ricci’s. She gives Wednesday a more emotional and growth-focused arc across the series. Fans and critics have debated whether Ortega’s Wednesday has eclipsed Ricci’s as the definitive version. The series has been a major success for Netflix, and Ortega’s performance has been widely praised for reinventing the character for a new generation.
“Pretty much the entire Addams Family fandom, even the most passionate of Christina Ricci loyalists, agree that Jenna is a worthy successor and a very close second place behind Ricci,” one fan wrote in a Facebook discussion.
Also Read: Wednesday Season 3 Cast Grows with Game of Thrones, Ted Lasso Stars Joining the Addams Family
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