Wednesday creators and writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar comment on Jenna Ortega’s controversial statements about the show’s season 1 scripts. Premiering on Netflix in 2022, Wednesday stars Ortega as the titular Addams Family member, following the character as she begins school at Nevermore Academy and becomes embroiled in a deadly mystery. Season 1 became a massive hit and Wednesday season 2 was promptly confirmed, but Ortega was widely criticized last year when she revealed on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast that she frequently disagreed with aspects of the scripts and pushed to change dialogue and storylines.

During a recent interview with THR to promote Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which Ortega also stars in, screenwriters Gough and Millar reflect on Ortega’s public criticism of the Wednesday season 1 scripts. Both writers share thoughtful responses, and Gough sympathizes with how hard it can be to navigate fame as a young person, expressing that mistakes like Ortega’s are inevitable:

GOUGH: That’s hard. We’ve done a few of these shows, like Smallville, which was a big hit out of the gate. Suddenly, you have these young stars in the spotlight. They’re going to misstep. They’re going to say things. I think you just have to give them grace and know that it happens. It’s never pleasant, but it just comes with the territory. I think we’re at the point now where the internet’s going to do what the internet’s going to do. What you don’t want to do is give these things oxygen.

Millar, too, clearly harbors no ill feelings toward Ortega, and brings up that both he and Gough now get to collaborate more closely with her since she serves as a producer on season 2:

MILLAR: We work with Jenna very closely on the show. We obviously worked with her on Beetlejuice. It’s always an incredibly collaborative and joyful experience. We couldn’t be prouder of her work and we’ve embraced her as a producer on the show this year.

She is one of the hardest working, most talented young actresses in the business , and we are very lucky and feel very proud that she’s working with us. So it is what it is. A show of this size and this scale is always going to have people chattering. But it’s not our reality or her reality.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice director Tim Burton serves as an executive producer on Wednesday and he directed four episodes of season 1.

What Gough & Miller’s Comments Mean For Wednesday Season 2

How Ortega Has Addressed The Situation

Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams looking shocked in Wednesday season 1

While creative disagreements are a common part of the entertainment business, Ortega caught flack because she aired her grievances in such a public way. Ortega’s comments also blew up because they came only two months before the onset of the WGA strike, which saw Hollywood writers fighting for fair pay and protection against AI, among other issues. Writers from shows like The Bear, BoJack Horseman, and Daredevil specifically mocked Ortega while on the picket lines, encouraging her to join them on strike because of her Wednesday script contributions.

Ortega herself would comment on the ordeal in an interview with Vanity Fair in August 2024, standing up for herself and her passion for the character while also admitting, “I probably could have used my words better.” With Ortega now working as a producer on Wednesday season 2, she’ll now have more of a say when it comes to her character, and it’s clear that Gough and Millar welcome this. Moving forward, it certainly looks like there will be no hard feelings between at least three of the creatives involved in the show.

Our Take On Ortega’s Wednesday Controversy

The Writers Strike Exacerbated The Issue

Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams giving a stern stare at someone in Wednesday season 1

Ortega’s comments would have ruffled feathers regardless, but the WGA strike certainly amplified them and made her an easy target. While Ortega seemed to be speaking more about her own passion for the Addams Family character and the material, it’s not surprising that it was received as a disrespectful shot at the writers. The actor will probably be more careful with her words moving forward, and Gough and Millar’s comments speak to how hard it can be to navigate fame as a young person, especially when one is involved with a show as popular as Wednesday.