Who plays Gomez Addams in Netflix's Wednesday? Meet Luis Guzman

Wednesday, a coming-of-age supernatural horror comedy television series, is set to stream on November 23, 2022, on its namesake day. The Netflix series is based on The Addams Family, a cartoon by Charles Addams.

While Jenna Ortega, known for her portrayals in Jane the Virgin, Stuck in the Middle, You, The Fallout to name a few, will play the titular character, Catherine Zeta-Jones will appear as her mother, the famous Morticia Addams.

Further, Luis Guzmán has been signed up to portray Morticia’s husband and Wednesday’s father, Gomez Addams.

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Luis Guzmán: Life, career, net worth

Born in Cayey, Puerto Rico on August 28, 1956, Guzman was raised in Greenwich Village, New York City by his hospital worker mother, Rosa, and TV repairman step-father Benjamin Cardona.

The American University graduate and social worker worked as an actor in the night and eventually became involved in independent films and street theater.

Guzman has delivered several noteworthy performances in his four-decade-long career. The character artist has starred in several high-profile projects like Oz, Boogie Nights (1997), Magnolia (1999), Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Out of Sight (1998), The Limey (1999), Narcos, and Code Black, among others.

Wednesday marks the second collaboration between Zeta-Jones and Guzman after Traffic (2000).

Guzman’s net worth is estimated to be around $13 million. He lives in Sutton, Vermont, with his wife Angelita Galarza and their five children on a 337-acre estate.

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Guzmán on how he was cast on Wednesday

Guzman recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show, where he revealed that he had no idea about the series and that its director, Tim Burton, had him in mind for the role of Gomez. He said:

“I was actually in Cardiff, Wales, and I got a phone call saying, 'Tim Burton wants to speak to you.' 'Tim Burton? Yeah!' So, we Zoomed the next day, and he said, 'Hey, man, we're doing this thing about The Addams Family.' And I was like, 'Oh, wow. Cool.'”

Guzman, surprised, wasn’t prepared for what was to come. He added:

“And he said, 'I'd love for you to play Gomez.' And I go, 'For real?! Really? Okay, alright, let's do it!'”

However, Guzmán's casting drew a lot of criticism. People were critical of Guzman's Gomez Addams when the first images of the characters were released in August, comparing him to the previous iteration enacted by the late Raul Juliá in The Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993), as well as John Astin in the TV series.

They opined Guzman’s Gomez lacked the poise and the charismatic physical appearance of Julia and Astin’s characters.

However, experts pointed out that Guzman is the perfect casting for Gomez. That's because the character is someone with a tubby body, grotesque appearance, snub-nose, a crooked tooth, and receding chin, and Guzman fits the bill.

As per Charles Addams, Gomez is:

"Husband to Morticia (if indeed they are married at all) ... a crafty schemer, but also a jolly man in his own way ... though sometimes misguided ... sentimental and often puckish — optimistic, he is in full enthusiasm for his dreadful plots ... is sometimes seen in a rather formal dressing gown ... the only one who smokes."

So, it seems the criticism towards Guzman’s Gomez was misplaced and the same was echoed by many netizens too.

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Wednesday: Cast, crew, synopsis

Burton and Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have teamed up to give shape to Wednesday. The synopsis of the series reads:

“Smart, sarcastic and a little dead inside, Wednesday Addams investigates a murder spree while making new friends — and foes — at Nevermore Academy.”

A scene from Wednesday. (Photo via Netflix)

Apart from Ortega, Zeta-Jones, and Guzman, the series features Game of Thrones fame Gwendoline Christie.

Interestingly, Christina Ricci, the OG Wednesday Addams, will also be seen as Marilyn Thornhill in the show.