Wednesday: Why Jenna Ortega did not like her viral dance, explained

Jenna Ortega is the talented actress who stars in Netflix's hit series Wednesday, playing the iconic character Wednesday Addams. One of the most memorable scenes from the show is a dance scene that became viral overnight, with many recreations on social media platforms like TikTok.

However, despite the popularity of the scene, Ortega has expressed regret over it. She revealed that she filmed the dance while battling COVID-19, which affected her performance and led to feelings of dissatisfaction.

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The viral dance scene in Wednesday

The dance scene in Wednesday appears on episode four of the series, Woe Is the Loneliest Number. Tim Burton directed this episode, which helps bring out something unique about Wednesday through an unexpected dance scene at Nevermore Academy's annual Rave 'N dance.

The choreography is a fusion of different styles, goth and contemporary dance, that made memorable the scene and left audiences in awe. The scene quickly found its way through the internet to the fans and their recreations of Ortega's moves by sharing their version on social media.

A day or two from its release, the hashtag #WednesdayDance amassed millions of views on TikTok, making the trend highly visible and attesting to how much influence she has and, more importantly, how much culture the show's been able to bring into lives.

Although it was a hit, Ortega has expressed mixed feelings about the scene. In interviews, she admitted that she appreciated the love the scene received from fans but felt that the execution did not give her a fair opportunity to express herself as an artist. She admitted to Variety,

"There was so much that I could have done and should have done," showing how desperately she wanted perfection for it, or for what it had turned out to be.

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Shooting under difficult circumstances

One significant factor contributing to Ortega's dissatisfaction with the dance scene is the challenging circumstances under which it was filmed. Jenna Ortega revealed that she shot the sequence while experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Although she did not test positive at that time, she felt unwell and described her condition as feeling "like I’d been hit by a car."

This health issue undoubtedly affected her energy levels and ability to perform at her best. In an interview, Ortega explained how filming while ill impacted her performance:

"I was so nervous because I didn’t want to let anyone down. I wanted to do my best."

But she still had to push through to finish the scene. Yet, in reflection, she felt that she could have been a little healthier to bring out the true Wednesday at that point. Secondly, filming during a pandemic created a problem with the safety measures that were implemented on set.

Although Ortega was cleared to work, many fans felt that actors should not have been allowed to film while unwell. This is one of the more pressing issues in the entertainment industry about health and safety in times of unprecedented situations.

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Creative control and regrets

Jenna Ortega is an actor who has always taken a hands-on approach in creating her character on Wednesday. She has worked very closely with showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar to keep Wednesday as close to the iconic character that everyone knows but make room for new interpretations.

She even pointed out certain lines of dialogue in one episode and urged them to cut the planned flash mob scene because she felt it would not work with the dark and quirky Wednesday character. Still, Ortega's creative input is only in various aspects of the role, leaving her feeling uneasy about being hailed as a specific dance scene's actress rather than an actress altogether.

In several interviews, she said that audiences should appreciate the work she's done beyond a single viral moment. She noted,

"I hope people see me as more than just this one dance.".

Ortega also shared that some of the dance steps were improvised during filming. Although this impromptu approach made it original, she wasn't quite sure if it captured her actual artistry as a dancer and performer. If she had the chance to do it again, she would want to have more time to perfect the choreography and present something that captured her artistic intent.

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Wednesday Season 2 is set to premiere sometime in 2025, with estimates suggesting a release around July or August 2025.