Wednesday Addams (Wednesday)
| Wednesday Addams | |
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| Wednesday character | |
 Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams | |
First appearance |
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Last appearance |
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| In-universe information | |
| Occupation |
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| Family | The Addams Family |
| Home |
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Outcast type | Raven psychic |
Age | 15-16 (first season) |
Wednesday Addams is the title character and protagonist of the Netflix television series Wednesday. Based on the character of the same name by Charles Addams, she is portrayed by Jenna Ortega. A psychic student at Nevermore Academy, Wednesday uses her powers to investigate murders and prevent foreseen deaths. Wednesday's macabre, antisocial personality hides her humanity and emotional growth, which eventually allow her to form connections. The character has also been briefly portrayed by several other actresses in the series, most notably Emma Myers.
Like they had done with Clark Kent in Smallville, writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar sought to explore and humanize a previously unexplored iconic character, envisioning Wednesday as a character study of the Addams Family's most popular member. Despite crafting their version of the character as a direct continuation of her 1991 and 1993 depictions, the series creators gave her several differentiations, including emotional complexity, the casting of a Latina actress, her age, and her appearance. Ortega's creative influence over the character earned her controversy, though she also became a producer. After being the focus of the first season partly due to budget constraints, Wednesday's presence was reduced in the second season, while her divisive romance angle was abandoned.
This iteration of Wednesday Addams has been called "media's first female Latinx detective" as well as a pop culture icon. She has been received positively, with some journalists considering her the best version of the character. However, several aspects of her adaptation have been criticized. Ortega's performance has received critical acclaim, while the role elevated her to greater fame. Several aspects of the character have been subject to analysis. She has been described as being "among the very first intersectional portrayals of an autistic-coded person in media".