Wednesday's Jenna Ortega addresses major cast exit
Note: The following article contains discussion of sexual misconduct allegations.
Wednesday's Jenna Ortega has addressed the exit of Percy Hynes White from the show, describing it as a "weird redirect".
The Netflix show follows Wednesday Addams (Ortega) as she attempts to solve a mystery at Nevermore Academy after discovering she inherited her mother's, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), psychic abilities.
Netflix renewed the show for a second season following critical and commercial success, but Hynes White, who played fellow student Xavier Thorpe, was not retained for the follow-up after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him.
Related: Netflix's Wednesday season 2 casts Steve Buscemi
Ortega, who has also starred with White in Winter Spring Summer or Fall, has commented upon her co-star's departure as she told Vanity Fair: "[It is] a weird redirect, but we're introducing so many different characters that I think it kind of will get lost. Wednesday's world does feel slightly askew anyway."
White, who has also starred in Pretty Hard Cases, was first accused of sexual misconduct in January 2023, with a woman on X/Twitter alleging - in a now deleted post - that he had assaulted her while she was intoxicated.
White was also accused of assaulting underage girls after giving them drugs and alcohol, with this first allegation being followed by several more.
White shared a statement in June 2023 denying the accusations (via Deadline): "Earlier this year, somebody I've never met started a campaign of misinformation about me online. Because of this, my family has been doxxed, and my friends have received death threats.
Related: Wednesday's Emma Myers explains why season 2 will be "worth the long wait"
"Underage photos of me were used, and examples of me acting in character were presented as hateful. My friend Jane was falsely portrayed as a victim, and her attempts to set the record straight have been ignored. She gave me permission to include her in this message.
"The rumours are false. I can't accept the portrayal of me as someone bigoted, or criminally negligent of people's safety. These are the kind of baseless, harmful claims that can create mistrust toward victims."
White isn't the only star to depart Wednesday ahead of its second season, with Naomi J Ogawa and Jamie McShane - who played Yoko Tanaka and Donovan Galpin respectively - also exiting, though McShane is said to have a small guest role in season two.
Wednesday streams on Netflix. Season 2 is in production.
Read more Wednesday news on our dedicated homepage
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, which works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on its website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
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