What The Cast Of The Addams Family Looks Like Now
The animated film The Addams Family pulled in over $30 million during its opening weekend in October 2019. "It was a 'new to you' franchise for kids too young to have read the original comic strips, watched the 1960's TV show or seen the 1990's movies," Forbes explained of the film's success, "but the property is old and varied enough that it clicked on a multi-generational nostalgic level." Of course, it didn't hurt that some big names, including Charlize Theron, Bette Midler, and Martin Short, voiced the characters.
As fun as the new film may be, we can't help but fall back in love with 1991's The Addams Family and remember all those we've lost. Raul Julia, who played the Addams family patriarch Gomez Addams, died just a few years after the film's premiere. In the years since, we've also had to say goodbye to Elizabeth Wilson, Judith Malina, and Paul Benedict who played Abigail Craven, Granny, and Judge Womack, respectively. However, many of your favorite Addams Family cast members are still alive and well. Here's what the iconic cast looks like today.
Anjelica Huston has had plenty of parts since playing Morticia in The Addams Family
Although Anjelica Huston was not the first or the last actress to play the role of Morticia Addams, you may remember her performance most vividly. She put a special twist on the character, after all. In an interview with Vulture in May 2019, Huston revealed that she based her portrayal of the character on her friend Jerry Hall — specifically the actress' "sweet indulgence of her children." Huston explained further, saying, "I just came upon the idea that the worse the children behaved, the more delighted Morticia was. I find Jerry incredibly beatific, she has that great accent and her children come before anything. I was trying to imagine Jerry bringing up the spawn of the devil, and how she'd still be indulgent and loving and understanding."
Since the 1991 film, Huston has gone on to captivate audiences through her characters in other films and television shows, such as her role as Vicki in Transparent and the Director in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum.
Christopher Lloyd found his role as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family challenging
When interviewing Christopher Lloyd, Metro brought up The Earth Day Special that the actor filmed in 1990, but he was unable to recall the project. "I've done a lot of films I haven't heard about since wrap night," Lloyd admitted to the publication. "But I don't care. I have to work." The actor continued, saying, "Unless it's total garbage, I'll work, whatever comes along. The money might not be fabulous. But I don't mind that." However, The Addams Family is no Earth Day Special — and not even Christopher Lloyd could forget his portrayal of Uncle Fester in the 1991 classic.
In an interview with Pop Goes the Culture, Lloyd revealed that he "loved doing that" film. "And it's such a great cast ... I mean, we were like a family after a while," he continued. Lloyd also revealed that he was first "at a loss" as to how to portray the character because they were physically so different, but — obviously — he worked it out. The Back to the Future star continues to take on multiple roles each year.
After playing Wednesday in The Addams Family, Christina Ricci pursued work she's proud of
Christina Ricci has grown up, but Wednesday Addams will forever be the stoic, sadistic daughter in The Addams Family and, of course, the basis for Halloween costumes the world over. Ricci was just 10 years old when she took on the dark role, but the part didn't appear challenging for her. Fame, however, was.
"I had a very hard time with fame as a child, being interviewed and being asked about my life," the actress told IndieWire. "I think that the way that I answered questions and the things I said earlier on were just, it was like somebody twisting in the wind. I was very reactive and aggressive and I acted out."
Despite a tumultuous relationship with fame, Ricci has remained in the entertainment business, starring in projects like Casper, Now and Then, and The Lizzie Borden Chronicles. She's even started producing. "I want to contribute to the world, I don't want to just take from it," she shared. "I want to do things that I'm proud of instead of being exploited, as I feel I was when I was a child."
Jimmy Workman's role as Pugsley in The Addams Family was one of his last
Jimmy Workman, who played Pugsley Addams in The Addams Family and its sequel Addams Family Values, gave up acting in the early 2000s. Citing information taken from social media, Cosmopolitan reported in September 2019 that he "lives in California with his young family, and has worked behind the scenes on the technical side of TV and film productions for the past few years." The publication noted he "was working for Teasters Local 399: the trade union representing working in the motion pictures industry."
Though he stopped acting, Workman's younger sibling ventured into the biz. You might even know who she is. Does the name Ariel Winter sound familiar? Yes, believe it or not, the Modern Family alum is his younger sister.
Despite both having played roles in family-oriented projects, Workman and Winter have experienced tumultuous lives with their family. In 2012, the siblings' mother was taken to court after allegations of abuse toward Winter. Custody of Winter was awarded to her older sister, Shanelle Gray, but, the following year, Workman filed legal documents asking for custody of his younger sister. The dispute was settled in 2014.
The Addams Family's Tully Alford was just one of Dan Hedaya's many characters
Second only to Abigail Craven, aka Dr. Greta Pinder-Schloss, is Tully Alford, The Addams Family's secondary antagonist, played by Dan Hedaya. Since starring in the '90s cult favorite, Hedaya has appeared in a number of other projects, including Clueless, ER, Mulholland Drive, and The Mindy Project. In 2015, the actor also starred in two episodes of Blue Bloods and, during the tenth season of the series in 2019, Hedaya was brought on once more to reprise his role. Yes, Hedaya certainly has range.
During an interview at the 2016 Carney Awards, the actor was asked to divulge "the key" to "being a good character actor." He replied, "I think creating a human being that's real, really. And, you know, to say it in a cryptic way, to make somebody that has a heart and a soul and is believable and real." He also advised aspiring actors to keep at it. "It's a hard mountain to climb," he revealed, "but I believe that if you have the dream and the passion and the patience, go for it."
Dana Ivey, who played Margaret Alford in The Addams Family, is a theater star
Since starring as Tully Alford's wife Margaret Alford in The Addams Family, Dana Ivey has built an impressive acting career. By 2016, she'd become a "six-time Tony nominee," according to Theater Mania.
In addition to acting in big Hollywood movies like Rush Hour 3 and The Help as well as theater productions, Ivey loves her some social media. "I do a lot of theater stuff and a lot of environmental and animal stuff, so it's a tripartite way of sending messages out," she explained to Theater Mania. "I figure if I send something out there and somebody reads it and gets it in their head that that's something to think about ... it's just a way of getting the word out for something I believe in." When asked if there are any plays in which she's hoping to star, Ivey said she's not "particularly longing" for any one part. "I'm very lucky; I've played a lot of wonderful [roles]," she acknowledged.
Carel Struycken is really as tall as The Addams Family's Lurch
Lurch may have been the Addams' butler, but he was every bit a part of the family. And Carel Struycken was the perfect person for the role.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the Netherlands native was literally discovered on the street in the '70s, and it led to him being cast as The Brute in The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. In the mid-80s, he also went on to star in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. Most people will, however, know him from his role in The Addams Family, its sequel Addams Family Values, and Addams Family Reunion. And, yes, he really is that tall. According to the publication, he's one of the tallest movie stars at an even seven feet tall.
When reminiscing about his role as the gangly butler in The Addams Family, he told Devolution, "It has been a revelation to discover how many people identify with the Addams Family. I guess people who have always felt a bit out of place in our society." In the years since the movie premiered, Struycken has starred in projects like Men in Black and Twin Peaks.
John Franklin has continued acting without The Addams Family's Cousin Itt costume
While all of the characters in The Addams Family are bizarre, actor John Franklin had one of the oddest roles. He played Cousin Itt. Completely covered in long hair — great hair, we might add — Itt speaks in squeaks that the audience cannot understand, but that the Addams family has no trouble deciphering.
In an interview at the London Film & Comic Con in July 2013, Franklin revealed some details about his Cousin Itt persona. "The costume weighed over 90 pounds and it was just all synthetic hair," he revealed, "and there's a hoop skirt kind of thing underneath to give it shape and a little scuba mask-size [hole] that they could open it up so that I could breathe with a little fan." He added, "It was so hot and heavy." Franklin also revealed that he came up with Itt's language in a dream the night after he was booked to audition for the film.
After starring in The Addams Family, Franklin reprised his role as Issac in a Children of the Corn sequel and has appeared in shows like Fresh off the Boat and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Christopher Hart isn't only known as Thing in The Addams Family
What would The Addams Family be without Thing? The disembodied hand may not have had any dialogue, but that's not to say Thing didn't have a personality. The unusual character was played by magician and actor Christopher Hart. "I've got a very famous hand, as you know, from [The] Addams Family. My hand is actually the talented part of my body," Hart joked in an interview with The Red Booth. "My hand's been in like six films, and I've been in none."
Hart revealed that had he not been a magician, he doesn't feel he would've gotten the role. "It takes so much dexterity," he explained. Becoming Thing also took two hours of makeup for each shoot and a total of four months to complete filming. Hart also explained that there wasn't any use of green screens in the film, so he was actually there with the other actors for each of Thing's scenes.
Although his famous hand hasn't appeared in movies since the late '90s, Hart went on to become the technical advisor and magic supervisor for The Last Act of Lilka Madison at the Falcon Theatre in 2014.