The Wednesday Season 1 premiere in Hollywood was exactly as eerie as the wildest nightmares of goth royalty Wednesday Addams (now played by rising Gen Z horror icon Jenna Ortega). Portraits of monsters could be spotted all over the noticeably black carpet, and there was even a guillotine displayed in one corner ahead of the series’ Nov. 23 streaming debut, when viewers will be able to devour Wednesday’s adventures at supernatural boarding school Nevermore Academy. But between all the spooks and scares, the cast lining the carpet was sweet enough to give Wednesday a toothache. 

Emma Myers, who portrays Wednesday’s friendly werewolf roommate Enid, was so excited by the event, she barely registered the seasonably chilly Los Angeles night. “I’ve never done a premiere before,” she said happily. “It’s very big and it’s awesome.” 

Jenna Ortega at the Wednesday Premiere Red Carpet

While Myers was living in the present, Percy Hynes White, who plays brooding Nevermore artist Xavier, couldn’t help but look to the past. “What surprised me the most was how much I got along with everybody on the set. I made actual friends, which is very rare when you work on a movie or a show. It’s rare to continue relationships with people afterwards,” he told Tudum. 

As proof of that camaraderie, Hynes White recalled a cast bonding moment while filming in Romania. Miles from home and brimming with creativity, the young actors split into groups to make short films. Hynes White’s was called One Gun; it starred himself, Ortega, Myers, and Georgie Farmer (aka popular Nevermore gorgon Ajax). Ortega played a character named Smokin’ Johnny Stevens.

Gwendoline Christie at the Wednesday Premiere Red Carpet

“We filmed it in the basement of our hotel. We used buckets of fake blood and these ridiculous accents,” Hynes White recalled. “Then we had a premiere at our little fake film festival… It will never see the light of day.” 

Although Hynes White maintains that One Gun will remain permanently hidden on “some hard drive,” the actor cherishes his work with Ortega on the short — and, naturally, on Wednesday. As does the rest of the cast. 

Catherine Zeta-Jones at the Wednesday Premiere Red Carpet

Catherine Zeta-Jones, who slips into Morticia Addams’ classic slinky black dress for Wednesday, is still stunned by how “giving” Ortega is as a scene partner. “It’s easy because she’s able to bring so much complexity,” she said. 

Zeta-Jones explained Morticia and Wednesday will explore a “roller-coaster” mother-daughter relationship as the latter enrolls at her parents’ alma mater. Despite all the magical creatures and deadly mysteries afoot, their story is a tale as old as time: one of a mother and daughter with their own secrets. 

Luis Guzmán at the Wednesday Premiere Red Carpet

“My character and hers together, we have the genealogy of not quite knowing [everything about each other],” Zeta-Jones continued. “That was always fun. But I think any story would be great with this young actress.” 

Zeta-Jones’ on-screen husband Luis Guzmán, who brings to life GOAT wife guy Gomez Addams, agrees. “Jenna was so focused. She was amazing, man,” Guzmán said. “She wouldn't settle for, ‘OK, that was really good.’ Or even the director saying, ‘Oh, that was great, great, great.’ She would do it until she was satisfied with it — satisfied with the heart of that character. I really admire that. Because, I’ll be honest with you, you don't [always] get that from 19-year-olds.’” 

Well, Wednesday Addams isn’t like most teenagers. 

Find out just how special the pigtailed amateur detective is when Wednesday premieres Nov. 23.