When Netflix unveiled casting details of its upcoming Wednesday series, many fans were disappointed to learn that Luis Guzmán landed the role of the iconic patriarch, Gomez Addams. The internet has been divisive regarding this news and has caused some controversy among moviegoers.
But there's actually a reason why Guzmán got the role and why its director, Tim Burton, personally handpicked him for the role. Here's why Guzmán is the perfect star to play Gomez in The Addams Family spinoff show.
What Is The Addams Family?
Before anything, let's talk about the roots of the show. While many remember the three The Addams Family movies that were released in the 90s, many seem to have forgotten that The Addams Family actually came from a 1938 New Yorker cartoon done by Charles Addams.
After that, the characters of the cartoon were turned into a black-and-white-sitcom in the 60s. It wasn't until thirty years later when the comic was adapted into a live action series that resulted to three full movies: The Addams Family, Addams Family Values, and Addams Family Reunion.
And this is where the controversy of Guzmán's casting as Gomez Addams comes into the picture.
Why Did Fans Dislike Guzmán’s Casting as Gomez Addams?
Luis Guzmán is actually the third actor to bring the cartoon character to life. In the 60s sitcom, the role was played by John Astin. Meanwhile, Raúl Juliá played Gomez Addams in the 90s trilogy. Unlike the two actors, Guzmán doesn't exactly follow the standard notion on what Gomez Addams should look like in real life.
But Burton decided to stay accurate to the source material instead of the live-action adaptation. Both Guzmán and Gomez Addams have the same physical build. And it's actually a good reminder of what the characters from the original cartoons really look like.
How Did Luis Guzmán Land the Role as Gomez Addams in Wednesday?
Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, Guzmán revealed how he landed the role as the patriarch of the Addams family. The actor revealed that Burton personally approached him to offer the role, which came as a surprise for the actor.
"I was actually in Cardiff, Wales, and I got a phone call saying, 'Tim Burton wants to speak to you.' 'Tim Burton? Yeah!' So, we Zoomed the next day, and he said, 'Hey, man, we're doing this thing about The Addams Family.' And I was like, 'Oh, wow. Cool.' I don't know what's going to happen next. And he said, 'I'd love for you to play Gomez.' And I go, 'For real?! Really? Okay, alright, let's do it!"
Who Stars in Wednesday?
Aside from Luis Guzmán, other big stars have landed a role in the spinoff series. These include the following:
- Jenna Ortega (as Wednesday Addams)
- Catherine Zeta-Jones (as Morticia Addams)
- Luis Guzmán (as Gomez Addams)
- Christina Ricci (as Marilyn Thornhill)
- Isaac Ordonez (as Pugsley Addams)
- Gwendoline Christie (as Larissa Weems)
- George Burcea (as Lurch)
- Victor Dorobantu (as Thing)
You can watch the trailer here:
Wednesday is now streaming on Netflix.
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