Netflix’s series “Wednesday” has been a massive hit for the streaming service, continuing to remain on their “Top 10” list. However, critics are angry after star Jenna Ortega revealed that she was sick with COVID-19 while filming the iconic dance scene.
During an interview with NME, the 20-year-old actress who played Wednesday Adams said of the scene going viral on TIkTok, “I choreographed that myself! I’m not a dancer and I’m sure that’s obvious.”
She continued, “I’d gotten the song [The Cramps’ 1981 single ‘Goo Goo Muck’] about a week before and I just pulled from whatever I could… it’s crazy because it was my first day with COVID so it was awful to film.”
https://www.tiktok.com/@darknesatheheartofmylove/video/7170038310906252549?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&q=wednesday%20dance&t=1670513821257
Ortega revealed, “Yeah, I woke up and — it’s weird, I never get sick and when I do it’s not very bad — I had the body aches. I felt like I’d been hit by a car and that a little goblin had been let loose in my throat and was scratching the walls of my esophagus. They were giving me medicine between takes because we were waiting on the positive result.”
“I asked to redo it but we didn’t have time,” she admitted. “I think I probably could have done it a bit better…”
Production company MGM claims that “strict COVID protocols were followed and once the positive test was confirmed production removed Jenna from set.” However, fans are not happy with the issue and are letting their anger flow on social media.
One user tweeted, “this is a bad thing right? we all agree that this is not some ‘persevering through hardship” moment, its a why the f— didn’t she get sent home, she could get horrendously sick or infect others kinda moment.”
this is a bad thing right? we all agree that this is not some "persevering through hardship" moment, its a why the fuck didn't she get sent home, she could get horrendously sick or infect others kinda moment pic.twitter.com/dBlwOf2ulr
— Lily Simpson is putting the T(rans) in YouTube (@LilySimpson1312) December 3, 2022
That same user added, “like the details are that she was waiting for a test while filming and it did come back positive but SHE SHOULD HAVE STILL ISOLATED WHILE WAITING FOR A TEST, Tim Burtons f—ing artistic vision aint worth dead people.”
Another wrote, “Disappointed to learn that Jenna Ortega had COVID symptoms on set but was still allowed to film the Wednesday dance scene while she waited for her positive test result. I wonder how many people got sick? And how many people those people got sick?”
Disappointed to learn that Jenna Ortega had COVID symptoms on set but was still allowed to film the Wednesday dance scene while she waited for her positive test result. I wonder how many people got sick? And how many people those people got sick?
— Lola Méndez (@lolaannamendez) November 29, 2022
Someone else replied, “According to her, she was in-waiting for the results when they shot that take, when the results came in she was sent home, but tbh I don’t understand why she didn’t stay home waiting for the result rather than risk contaminating people??”
According to her, she was in-waiting for the results when they shot that take, when the results came in she was sent home, but tbh I don't understand why she didn't stay home waiting for the result rather than risk contaminating people??
— officiellement artémis ???? (@artepointtv) December 3, 2022
Would they have had this same reaction if she’d said she had the flu, instead? Despite the fact that both viruses are very similar?
While I do agree that people should stay away from others if they are feeling sick, I do think they are being quite dramatic about this. She was sent home once she learned that she had COVID. It’s not like she knew she had it when she showed up.
