There are hit Netflix shows, and then there’s Wednesday. When it premiered in November 2022, the gothic comedy series became such a global phenomenon that it sent a decade-old Lady Gaga deep cut (‘Bloody Mary’) soaring up the charts thanks to that viral dance scene.
Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Smallville, Into the Badlands) and exec-produced by Tim Burton, the series gave The Addams Family a Gen Z makeover by placing the emphasis on ice-cool psychic teenager Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega.
For season two – which is being released in two parts, a sure sign that it’s a Netflix priority – production moved from Romania to Ireland. Steve Buscemi has joined the cast as the new principal of Nevermore Academy, a fancy private school that’s home to vampires, werewolves and sirens instead of privileged rich kids, while Lady Gaga will appear as mysterious teacher Rosaline Rotwood.
Among the returning cast members is Georgie Farmer, who plays Ajax Petropolus, a shy and retiring gorgon who has snakes for hair. Because he can temporarily turn people to stone by having the snakes look at them, he keeps himself to himself and his serpentine locks hidden under a beanie.
“He really goes on a journey this season,” teases the 23-year-old actor. “I think fans are going to be surprised at what he has to do and I really hope they’ll be by his side.” Here, Farmer primes us for Wednesday season two, including the low-key band he formed with two of his castmates.
Hi Georgie! What can we expect from Ajax in the new season?
Georgie Farmer: “It’s really about him becoming more confident in himself. Something that I spoke with Miles, Al and Tim about at the beginning of this season was Ajax and the Gorgons being these outcasts – longtime outcasts – which is a really unique thing, especially at Nevermore. You know, they’re told not to look people in the eye, they’re told to avoid people at all costs.
“And so I think for Ajax this year, it’s about him sort of finding himself and becoming more confident in his powers, so he can use them to be helpful to his friends.”
Jenna Ortega has described this season as “darker” than the first. Is this how you see it, too?
“Oh my god, I remember when I got the first script for the first episode, I was like, ‘OK, so they’re gonna go there. It’s gonna be that dark.’ And as the season goes on, it just gets darker and more twisted. I mean, there were even some times this season where I was like, ‘I’m scared just filming it, this is really scary.'”
Did you encounter Lady Gaga at all when she was filming?
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I didn’t see her. I remember whispers going round – like, ‘Lady Gaga! Lady Gaga!’ – but honestly it was kept very under wraps and very, very secretive. But I remember the buzz around the sets after the days she had been there, being like, ‘Oh, she’s just amazing.'”
What was it like filming with Steve Buscemi, who plays Nevermore’s new principal Barry Dort?
“One thing that’s really important about this season is the introduction of the new principal, because he really wants to put outcasts first. The first season was sort of outcasts in the normie world, whereas this season is very outcast-focused because they’re prioritised by the new principal.
“And I mean, I couldn’t think of anyone better than Steve Buscemi to do that. He’s just the most incredible actor. There were days when I’d be doing scenes with him and I just couldn’t help being in awe.”
Do you use music to get into character or play music on set generally?
“I would say one of the biggest things that, as a cast, we bonded over when we started the show was music. We all made a big playlist together when we filmed [season one] in Romania. It was a lot of film scores, a lot of Radiohead, and there was some Peter Gabriel in there too. And then this year, me and a couple of other guys in the show played music together in our downtime – I played the drums.”
Who was in the Wednesday band with you?
“It was me, Owen [Painter, who plays Slurp] and Noah [B. Taylor, who stars as fellow newcomer Bruno Yuson]. When we were in Dublin, we made a couple of songs together – I mean, I don’t think these songs will ever see the light of day. We basically had one microphone and all these different amps, so it was the most sketchy recording process but it was so much fun. Composing and making music with people is such an incredible thing.”
Did you go to any gigs while you were in Dublin?
“I went to see Chappell Roan in Dublin, which was incredible – it’s just such a well put together show and some of her songs are the best. Afterwards, I was dripping in so much sweat I looked like I’d come out of the shower. I don’t think I’ve ever come out of a show like that before.”
You made your professional acting debut in Jessie J’s ‘Who’s Laughing Now’ music video back in 2011. Can you remember much about the experience?
“I was so young. I went to Sylvia Young Theatre School because I wasn’t good at football and a bunch of us kids were asked to be in the video. You’ll see me at the end – I’m in the classroom when the young Jessie J starts spraying the bullies with the fire extinguisher. I have this starring moment where I’m in slow motion. It was my claim to fame for so long… to be honest with you, it’s still my claim to fame now.”
If you could be in a music video for any artist, who would it be?
“I’d put Radiohead and Bon Iver up there. And I love everything that Mk.gee’s done including the new Justin Bieber album ‘Swag’, which I was just listening to today. Honestly, I’d probably want to be in a Justin Bieber video because ‘Swag’ is just so good.”
‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Part 1 streams on Netflix from August 6. Part 2 streams from September 3