Wednesday showrunner Miles Millar has explained why Jenna Ortega was allowed to film the viral dance scene while having Covid-19.
In the fourth episode of Netflix’s smash-hit Addams Family spin-off series, Wednesday (Ortega) performs a dance to The Cramp’s 1981 single “Goo Goo Muck” at her school dance.
The clip went viral on TikTok, with many users recreating the dance at home.
However, in an interview, Ortega admitted that she’d shot the scene on the first day that she had Covid, commenting that she’d had “body aches” and the team had been giving her medicine between takes “because we were waiting on the positive results”.
While production company MGM said at the time that “strict” protocols were followed and Ortega was removed from set as soon as she received a positive test, social media users criticised the move, calling it “dangerous, unethical, and extremely selfish”.
In a new interview, creators Al Gough and Mikes Millar were asked about the decision to have Ortega film the scene while waiting for the results, rather than hold off until they had come through.
Millar insisted that there were “extremely stringent Covid protocols that were enforced all the way through the dance”.
“Jenna tested negative the day before, and only when a positive test came back, and as soon as it did, she was escorted off the set and went into quarantine for I think 10 days,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“It’s one of those Chinese whispers elements. Every test, every protocol was explicitly followed, and there was no compromising of that in any decision to keep filming and film Jenna ill or sick, it was never a discussion.
“If she had been, we would’ve closed and let her rest, the health and well-being of the cast and crew was and always is paramount to us and everybody at MGM and Netflix.”
Millar continued that the story had been “blown out of proportion”, adding: “But the facts speak for themselves in terms of every protocol was followed, and the protocols were stringent in terms of double-masking, PCR tests every single day.”
Meanwhile, Ortega has shared one line of dialogue from the Wednesday script that she refused to say.
Wednesday is on Netflix now.
