The Addams Family is back on the big screen October 11, courtesy of Sausage Party directors Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan. The new take on the classic series pays homage to the adaptations that precede it, but the film still promises not to be a carbon copy. In fact, actress Chloe Grace Moretz specifically shared that she chose not to rely previous performances when crafting Wednesday Addams’ voice in her sessions. You can read the rest of her interview with Screen Rant below:
First of all, The Addams Family taught me how to snap my fingers – and I'm still not good at it – because the song. You're way better at it than I am. But Wednesday Addams is probably one of the most iconic members of the family. How did you approach voicing this iconic character?
Chloe Grace Moretz: For me, I really wanted to go off my own love of the character and really run with it, and not try and copy anything that had happened before her. And being that it's a whole new look of the characters – especially with Wednesday, she looks different than she's really ever looked before – I really wanted to have that be indicative of what I was doing.
Wednesday is still a teenager. How is she relatable for everybody else?
Chloe Grace Moretz: Oh, she's always rebellious. She's trying to push Morticia’s buttons, and she knows how to do it and get her mother all riled up – which I think is really indicative of being a teenager across the board. So, that was fun to show, but it's the opposite of what would normally make your parents mad. It's for her putting on pink clothing and doing a cheerleading sequence, which is what's going to make her mother terrified.
I love that relationship too. It's so great. Wednesday seems to have the strongest fascination with the outside world. Can you talk to me about how that drives the story forward?
Chloe Grace Moretz: Well, from the very beginning, you see her looking out the front gates to see if there's something beyond that world. And she immediately comes across Parker, and she wants to go to school; to get out of her caged schooling and go to what she refers to as “prison,” which is the real school.
So, you know, I think that she's always interested in what is, in her opinion, dark and twisted; and that her life isn't dark and twisted enough. She finds modern reality even more dark and twisted than her own, which I think is very true.
I also love that this story has a great message throughout. What are you hoping that audiences take away from it, especially young kids?
Chloe Grace Moretz: I hope they take away that you can be your authentic self, and you will be supported by those that really matter. And to stand up for yourself, and to not be a part of the social norm; that there is no such thing as a social norm. And I think it's more normal and much cooler to be yourself.
I agree, 100%. She also faces the challenge of middle school, which is an awkward time for a lot of teenagers out there. Can you talk to me about how she handles that challenge?
Chloe Grace Moretz: Oh, yeah. I mean, she walks in and immediately puts her fist up and is ready to rally. She just she just does so authentically; she doesn't really rely on being the cool kid. She just wants to be herself and tell people to stop bullying people.
I know, I love Wednesday Addams so much. This isn't the only family friendly film on your docket. You also have Tom and Jerry coming up, which I have no idea how that's going to happen, but it sounds amazing. Can you tell me anything about that?
Chloe Grace Moretz: It's really exciting; it's going to be nothing like you've ever seen before. It really integrates live action with animation seamlessly. And it's different than any of the movies that you've seen out there right now with that; it's more indicative of the older films.
Oh, I can't wait. Congratulations on The Addams Family. Thank you so much for your time.