Christina Ricci: is ‘90s Wednesday Addams in new Netflix series with Jenna Ortega, does she play Ms Thornhill?

Ricci is famous for playing the role of Wednesday in the 1990’s Addams Family movies
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Fans already can’t get enough of Netflix’s Wednesday. The dark comedy tells the story of Wednesday Addams, the oldest child of the Addams Family, who is sent to study at Nevermore Academy.

However, many are only just realising that the ‘90s Wednesday actress Christina Ricci who starred in the ‘90s Addams Family movies stars in the new series.

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Directed by Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands), Netflix’s Wednesday also stars Jenna Ortega (Scream) in the iconic role of Wednesday, Catherine Zeta Jones (Chicago) as Morticia Addams and Luis Guzmán (Narcos) as Gomez.

The Addams Family originally began life as a cartoon created by Charles Addams in the 1930s but is best known for its TV sitcom in the 1960s and iconic films in the 1990s which featured Christopher Lloyd as Uncle Fester.

Here’s everything you need to know about who Christina Ricci plays in Netflix’s Wednesday.

Who is Christina Ricci?

Ricci was born on 12 February, 1980 in Santa Monica, California. The actress made her movie debut at the age of nine in Mermaids, starring alongside Cher and Winona Ryder (Stranger Things). She is best known for playing the role of Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family in 1991 and again in its sequel Addams Family Values in 1993. Other roles include Casper and Now and Then in 1995 which solidified her status as a nineties teen icon.

Jenna Ortega and Christina Ricci attend the world premiere of Netflix’s “Wednesday” (Photo: Getty Images for Netflix)Jenna Ortega and Christina Ricci attend the world premiere of Netflix’s “Wednesday” (Photo: Getty Images for Netflix)
Jenna Ortega and Christina Ricci attend the world premiere of Netflix’s “Wednesday” (Photo: Getty Images for Netflix)
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The 42-year-old also acted alongside Johnny Depp in Sleepy Hollow in 1999 and is currently starring in the TV show Yellow Jackets, playing the role of Misty.

Who does she play in Netflix’s Wednesday?

Ricci plays the role of Marilyn Thornhill, a teacher at Nevermore Academy, where Ortega’s Wednesday is sent to study. Ms Thornhill has been working at the school for 18 months and is the Academy’s only “normie” meaning she does not possess special powers like her peers. Ms Thornhill is the botanical sciences teacher as well as Wednesday’s “dorm mom”, she is very kind to her at first, gifting her a black dahlia on her arrival and taking her under her wing.

It’s been hinted that Ms Thornhill’s first name is a homage to the original Addams Family’s rival TV series “The Munsters” who had a normal family member, also called Marilyn.

Did Christina Ricci play Wednesday Addams?

Ricci famously played the role of Gomez and Morticia Addams’ daughter in the 1991 comedy “The Addams Family” and its 1993 sequel, “Addams Family Values.” She starred alongside Anjelica Huston as Morticia, Raul Julia as Gomez, Jimmy Workman as Pugsley and Christopher Lloyd as Uncle Fester.

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The movies were the first in the Addams Family franchise which was created in the 1930s by cartoonist Charles Addams and turned into a TV sitcom in the 1960s, which starred actress Lisa Loring as the original Wednesday.

Many fans of the Netflix show are only now realising that Ricci was in the series with many taking to social media to share their astonishment that she played the role of Ms Thornhill.

One Twitter user shared pictures of Ricci as Wednesday alongside her current role, along with the caption: “i just found out that the redhead teacher in wednesday is literally played by christina ricci aka HER????!?”

What has she said about Wednesday?

In an interview with Elle Ricci praised Ortega’s performance as Wednesday, describing her as “truly incredible at making Wednesday a modern badass.” She also reflected on her own experience adding: “I loved being Wednesday, I’m very proud of that role. I also think Jenna Ortega is amazing. She is so brave, so cool, and really doing the part justice. Wednesday is her part now...[and] those two things can be true at the same time!”

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