Season one lead star has been dropped from the series

Jenna Ortega has addressed the axing of her Wednesday co-star Percy Hynes White from season two, calling his absence “weird”.

In May, Netflix released the cast list for the new season as cameras started rolling on the Addams Family spin-off series.

While Ortega, who recently surprised fans by leaving another one of her Netflix projects, was revealed to be returning as Wednesday Addams, it was noted that Hynes White would no longer be a part of the show.

White was a major player in season one, playing Xavier Thorpe. News of his departure followed allegations of sexual misconduct made against the actor, which he denied last year.

Alluding to his absence on social media, the actor appeared to take Netflix’s decision to drop him from the series in his stride.

Ortega has remained silent on the subject until now. She admitted in a new interview with Vanity Fair that his absence has led to “a weird redirect”, but said it ultimately works as “we’re introducing so many different characters that I think it kind of will get lost”.

She added: “Wednesday’s world does feel slightly askew anyway.”

It’s worth noting that, while stars Jamie McShane and Naomi J Ogawa will also not be returning, their characters – Donovan Galpin and Yoko Tanaka – were not expected to have roles in season two.

In January 2023, Hynes White was accused of sexual assault in a series of now-deleted tweets. In response to the initial posts, some Wednesday fans campaigned for his removal from the show.

Hynes White later said that the accusations were untrue and part of a “campaign of misinformation”.

The actor wrote in an Instagram post shared in June 2023: “Earlier this year, somebody I’ve never met started a campaign of misinformation about me online. Because of this, my family has been doxxed, and my friends have received death threats.”

“Underage photos of me were used, and examples of me acting in character were presented as hateful. My friend Jane was falsely portrayed as a victim, and her attempts to set the record straight have been ignored. She gave me permission to include her in this message.”

He continued: “The rumours are false. I can’t accept the portrayal of me as someone bigoted, or criminally negligent of people’s safety. These are the kind of baseless, harmful claims that can create mistrust toward victims.

“It’s very distressing to know that this misinformation has upset people. I’m really thankful for everyone who’s stood by me and helped share the facts. Harassment of my family, friends and coworkers needs to stop please. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”

Hynes White and Netflix have declined to comment.