From Frankenstein’s Bride to Nevermore: Billie Piper’s New Gothic Role

Netflix has given fans a first look at Billie Piper in her new role for the upcoming second season of Wednesday, the gothic comedy series starring Jenna Ortega. The 42-year-old actress joins the cast as Isadora Capri, the school’s head of music at Nevermore Academy.

Billie Piper is a former child prodigy who rose to prominence as Brona Croft/The Bride of Frankenstein in Penny Dreadful. The character is described as “warm and approachable, yet dangerously mysterious.” Isadora has her eye on Wednesday Addams’ musical prowess and is also a mentor to werewolf Enid Sinclair, played by Emma Myers, who also returns for the new season.

Netflix shared the first look of Billie Piper in her character’s costume alongside major announcements regarding the future of the record-breaking series. Wednesday first arrived on the streaming service in November 2022 and immediately became a worldwide phenomenon. It has since attracted a whopping 252 million viewers globally, making it Netflix’s biggest English-language show of all time. Following the smash success, the show was renewed in January 2023 for a second installment, which is now set to premiere in August of this year.

The show takes on a much darker tone than the live-action series it’s based on, with Wednesday Addams (played by 22-year-old Jenna Ortega) now at Nevermore Academy, a school for supernatural outcasts. The horror series blends horror, comedy, and teenage angst to create a spooky story that appealed to audiences and critics alike. It received Emmy nominations and became a fan favorite.

Wednesday Season 3 Confirmed; A Spin-Off in the Works

In addition to Billie Piper’s casting announcement, Netflix also shared more good news: the series has been renewed for a third season. They’ve also begun to discuss a spin-off. The Hollywood Reporter shared the news that a spin-off is currently in talks. The publication did not offer any more information, but co-creator Alfred Gough said, “It’s something we’re noodling; there are other characters we can look at.”

Fans on social media were ecstatic at the news, with many taking to Twitter to share their excitement and love for the series. Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays Morticia Addams in the show, even confirmed the renewal herself on Instagram. The actress posted a meme, “When Wednesday comes, a better day. Wednesday season three. It’s official…we shall return.” Fans flocked to the comments to show their excitement, with one user writing, “And for many more seasons,” and another: “I can’t wait to see the second season, I’m waiting for it with great curiosity…and the third is already official, fantastic news!”

Fans also showed they were relieved to know filming will begin soon on the new season. Some people hope the wait for season three won’t be as long as this time around. Although season two was announced in January 2023, it will still come more than two years after the show’s initial release. After the long wait between the first and second seasons, fans have called for a shorter wait between new installments. “I’ll be gripping the sheets in agony waiting, but please… don’t let us wait three years again,” one viewer wrote.

Tim Burton, 66, is returning as an executive producer and occasional director for the new season. Burton, who has developed a cult following for his dark and quirky style, was also most recently seen working with Ortega on Beetlejuice, the upcoming sequel to the 1988 cult film.

Season two is also getting more big names in addition to Billie Piper, with the likes of Lady Gaga, Steve Buscemi, Joanna Lumley, and Thandie Newton joining the cast. Gwendoline Christie also returns as headteacher Larissa Weems, along with Luis Guzmán, who plays Addams’ father, Gomez.

Jenna Ortega is also getting more involved in the show behind the camera. The actress has been promoted to a producer on the new season following some controversy around an interview with a podcast where she admitted to sometimes “changing lines” when working on the show, and had to “put her foot down” over character inconsistencies in the script. Director Tim Burton later came out in public defense of the actress, stating that her words had been taken out of context and misunderstood. Co-creator Alfred Gough also defended Ortega, and said her new job title was well-deserved, noting she was already involved in the creative process and gave useful notes on the scripts.

Joanna Lumley, one of the new actresses joining the cast, gushed about her involvement with the show, “There’s always something thrilling about working for Tim Burton. He’s got this whole mind that takes him to a different world. And the world that they’ve created here for Wednesday and Nevermore and the family is just intoxicating.”

Billie Piper’s arrival is just the start of a busy season two. With a third season confirmed and a possible spin-off in the works, Wednesday fans have a lot to look forward to.