SciFi.radio already told you about the new Wednesday show, which will be on Netflix about a grown-up Wednesday Addams. It will star Jenna Ortega in the title role. Our distinguished colleagues at Variety announced that Luis Guzmán will play Wednesday’s father, Gomez Addams.
Wednesday is a comedic, supernaturally-infused coming-of-age series that follows the teenage girl’s years as a student at Nevermore Academy, where she attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the town, and solve a mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago — all while navigating her new relationships at Nevermore.
Luis Guzmán is probably best-known for playing Jesse Sallander, RN in the hospital drama Code Black, where his character, an ER nurse, was nicknamed Mama. He played Hector Contreras in Perpetual Grace, LTD. Guzman played Ray Castro in Traffic, which starred Benicio del Toro (the Collector in Guardians of the Galaxy), Michael Douglas (Dr. Hank Pym in Ant-Man and the Wasp) and Don Cheadle (War Machine in Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War). Guzmán was also Maurice t.t. Rodriguez in Boogie Nights and Phil Ramos in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (2009), and starred as the Aztec Warrior in the 2016 film by the same name.
Luis Guzmán was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York City. He currently resides in Vermont with his wife and five children, a gentleman farmer between acting roles.
Geek Cred
Some fans have said the Puerto Rican actor resembles a Klingon. Despite this, he has never appeared in an episode of Star Trek.
On seaQuest DSV, he guest starred as General Guzmano in the episode “The Good Death.” He voiced Rodrigo Smalls in Ultra City Smiths. In the Dwayne Johnson movie Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), Guzmán played the pilot Gabato. In the TV series Oz, Guzmán played Raoul ‘El Cid’ Hernandez. Guzmán played Felix Laranga in the Eddie Murphy movie The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002). Guzmán guest starred on the TV show Monsters as Luis in “Desirable Alien.” He once appeared on Early Edition as John Hernandez in “The Quality of Mercy.”
Who Is Gomez Addams?
Gomez Addams is a flamboyant American aristocrat, a bon vivant filled with joie de vivre. (Tish, you spoke French!) A wealthy man with macabre tastes, he is passionately in love with his wife Morticia. Whenever she lets a word or phrase of French escape her lips, he drops whatever he is doing, seizes her hand, kisses it, and works his way up her arm, bestowing kisses every inch or two. His hobbies include fencing and model railroads – especially blowing up trains.
Like Thurston Howell III, he reads the Wall Street Journal for pleasure. He is a loving, indulgent father. Originally, he had two children, daughter Wednesday and son Pugsley. In the made-for-TV reunion movie Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977), there were two additional children, Wednesday, Jr. and Pugsley, Jr. In Addams Family Values (1993), there was a new baby, Pupert. It is unsure if any of these three younger children are considered canonical, and unknown if any of the three will appear in the Netflix show Wednesday with Luis Guzmán and Jenna Ortega.
Who else has been Gomez Addams?
Guzmán has some big shoes to fill. Gomez Addams was originally played by John Astin (the Riddler on Batman) in the 1960s Addams Family TV show: he reprised the role in Halloween with the New Addams Family and The New Scooby-Doo Movies. Raul Julia played Gomez Addams in The Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993). Tim Curry took over the role for Addams Family Reunion (1998). Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron in the third Star Wars trilogy) voiced Gomez in the animated The Addams Family (2019).
Luis Guzmán won the All Def Movie Award for Best Latino Not in a Service Industry Role in 2017, as Bacon in Keanu (2016), He shared the 1998 Florida Film Commission Award for Best Ensemble with Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, Alfred Molina et al. for Boogie Nights. Do you think Gomez Addams will lead to Guzmán winning a Saturn Award?
Just to Clarify
This is Luis Guzmán who will play Gomez Addams in Netflix’s new show Wednesday. This is not Ant-Man’s fast -talking sidekick Luis. That is Michael Peña. Ignore any rumors you may have heard based on confusing their names.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
I’m not sure what to think. Never would have guessed him for the roll, but he might just surprise everyone.