Billie Piper Brings Mystery and Music to Netflix’s Wednesday

Netflix has debuted the first look at Billie Piper as a brand new character in the upcoming second season of Wednesday, the series starring Jenna Ortega. The British actress, 42, will play Isadora Capri in the gothic teen comedy.

Isadora Capri is the mysterious, sharp-tongued head of music at Wednesday’s school, Nevermore Academy. A Penny Dreadful fan will recognize Piper as Brona Croft/The Bride of Frankenstein, which is just one of her many gothic and supernatural credits. A former child prodigy, Isadora shows particular interest in Wednesday’s musical skills but also mentors werewolf Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers, reprising her role).

Netflix released the first photos of Billie Piper in character this week alongside big news about the future of the record-breaking series. Wednesday first premiered on Netflix in November 2022 and became a smash hit on the service almost immediately. The supernatural teen comedy is now the platform’s biggest English-language show of all time, with 252 million viewers worldwide. Following the first season’s success, it was renewed for a second season in January 2023. The new season is confirmed to be released in August this year.

Wednesday is a moody reimagining of the Addams Family lore. The series follows the adventures of Wednesday Addams (22-year-old Jenna Ortega) as she transfers to Nevermore Academy, a school for supernatural outcasts. Wednesdays features the same warped blend of horror, humor, and teen angst that has already won it a legion of fans, a smattering of Emmy nominations, and the best reviews of Ortega’s career.

The Horror Teen Comedy Was Renewed in January

Netflix released photos of Billie Piper as Wednesday’s newest character at the same time as more incredible news: Wednesday was officially renewed for a third season. The streaming service is also reportedly in talks to green-light a spin-off, according to The Hollywood Reporter. While nothing is set in stone, co-creator Alfred Gough has teased, “It’s something we’re noodling; there are other characters we can look at.”

Fans shared their excitement for Wednesday’s season two and season three announcements (and more!) on social media. Catherine Zeta-Jones, who portrays Morticia Addams in the series, also gave her nod to the renewal in an Instagram post: “When Wednesday comes, a better day. Wednesday season three. It’s official… we shall return.” Fans rushed into the comments with joy, writing things like, “And for many more seasons,” and “I can’t wait to see the second season, I’m waiting for it with great curiosity… and the third is already official, fantastic news!”

Fans also hope that shooting for season two will be able to start soon, so the wait for season three isn’t as long. Despite being renewed in January 2023, the second season will come more than two years after the series’ initial premiere. Fans are hoping for a faster turnaround in the future after some impatience about the wait between seasons. One fan wrote, “I’ll be gripping the sheets in agony waiting, but please… don’t let us wait three years again.”

Exec producer and director Tim Burton, 66, will be back for new seasons of the hit show, which he has been involved with in some capacity since its beginnings. Burton also recently worked with Jenna Ortega in Beetlejuice, the forthcoming sequel to the 1988 cult film.

The new season will feature even more A-list talent. In addition to Billie Piper, the cast also includes Lady Gaga, Steve Buscemi, Joanna Lumley, and Thandie Newton. Returning series regulars include Gwendoline Christie as headteacher Larissa Weems and Luis Guzmán as Wednesday’s father, Gomez Addams.

Actress Jenna Ortega is also taking on an active role in the production process behind the scenes. After a podcast interview resurfaced in which she said that she “changed lines” and had to “put her foot down” over some inconsistencies with Wednesday’s character, Ortega has since been given a producer credit. Director Tim Burton gave her a shoutout, saying her comments had been taken out of context, and co-creator Alfred Gough noted that Ortega had long been a key part of the show’s creative process, regularly providing notes on scripts.

Joanna Lumley is another of the new additions to the show, and the actress gushed about the whole experience: “There’s always something thrilling about working for Tim Burton. His whole mind takes him to a different world, and the world that they’ve created here for Wednesday and Nevermore and the family is just intoxicating.”

Billie Piper, a season three renewal, and a potential spin-off are only a few of the ways Wednesday’s universe will continue to grow in the coming months and years. Fans are eagerly counting down to the August release of new season two episodes.