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Wednesday season 2 star Noah Taylor on filming in Dublin, character dynamics, and lycanthrope costuming

Taylor, who plays werewolf Bruno in the second season of Jenna Ortega's Netflix series Wednesday, pulls back the purple curtains on your next Halloween season binge

There's a whole new batch of Outcasts headed to Nevermore Academy very soon. We're speaking, of course, of the magical and macabre institute for the freaks and geeks at the heart of Wednesday, which featured heavily in the first season of Netflix's teen drama take on the Addams Family. And with a second season just around the corner, Popverse was able to chat with one of those newcomers, Noah Taylor.

As you may remember Popverse reporting, Taylor will play the mysterious Bruno, who is at the school for the  supernaturally gifted due to his lycanthropy. Ahead of his role in the series (which is also the actor's debut on streaming television), Popverse sat down with Wednesday's werewolf to chat about what to expect from next season, his experiences on set, and even another pop culture wolfman.

Read on for more.

Popverse: Wednesday season 1 was one of the biggest series debuts in Netflix history. What do you think drew so many people to that first season so quickly? 

Noah Taylor: I think it was the combination of a very bold and specific artistic vision which was realized by an amazing team of people and a story that touched on the universal feeling of being an outcast. 

How will those fans experience with season 2 be different than what they had with season 1?

Coming into season 2, fans have already made emotional connections with the world and will be holding their breath to see how these characters overcome and navigate new sets of challenges. 

Wednesday season 2 is reportedly darker and more horror-focused than season 1. From your experience on set, in what ways is that true?

This season is definitely packed with a lot of intense scenes which were really fun to shoot. It was great getting to play a character who has to switch from his normal everyday state of being, to being thrown into high stake situations. Having such a dynamic range of given circumstances is always fun to work with. 

What influences do you feel went into this season, horror-wise? Any scary movies you felt were homaged here?

I can’t get into specifics but the great thing about a collaborative medium like this is everyone brings in their own reference points and influences which blend together and make something fresh and unique. 

Wednesday hinges on big mysteries; how do the directors keep a sense of mystery on set after the scripts are finished? Is the cast ever kept in the dark about the big reveals?

There were some things that I got a heads up about from the start and other things that I didn’t know were going to happen until after they were shot. I mainly focused on what my character was dealing with and I was always excited to see how everything would turn out with all the other characters. 

Wednesday season 2 is being released in two parts - did that factor into filming at all? Was your schedule ever broken up between the parts, and were they filmed linearly?

I was in Dublin for the whole shoot and we shot in blocks which weren’t always chronological. There was roughly a weeklong break midway through shooting and I got to go on a trip to Greece with some of the cast which was a great time. 

Our first look at Bruno featured him with a guitar, and I know you’re a musician yourself. Did any of your music make it into the show? If not, what will Bruno be playing?

I did get to play guitar in a scene which was a lot of fun. It wasn’t one of my songs and I won’t spoil what song it is, but it was a blast to shoot and I’m very excited for people to see it. 

It’s been confirmed that Bruno is a werewolf; how are the werewolves of Wednesday created? Did you do/see any motion capture or practical effects on set?

A lot of the work that made me look like a werewolf happened in costuming, hair and makeup. Everything from my hairstyle to the way they shaped my eyebrows played a part. A lot of the costumes I got to wear had subtle furlike or hairy textures on them which was really cool. I personally didn’t do a lot of work with motion capture but I got to see some other actors work with it which was super fascinating to watch. Physicality is one of my favorite parts of acting and it’s always incredible to watch actors translate it through motion capture. 

It seems like Bruno might have a thing with Wednesday’s erstwhile best pal Enid Sinclair, played by Emma Myers. Can you tease their relationship dynamic? How much of each of their respective character arcs are centered on it?

I can’t say too much about that right now but Bruno gets to develop a lot of interesting, and complex relationships with characters throughout the season which I’m excited for people to see. 

What will Bruno’s relationship with Wednesday Addams look like?

You’ll just have to wait and see, but I will say that Wednesday is very picky with who she likes. 

Final question for you: You have a ‘Taylor’ in your name and you play a teen werewolf. Any Twilight jokes on set?

Yeah, there were definitely a couple at the start of shooting. My friends and family are still making werewolf jokes and I have a lot of fun leaning into it.

Season 2 part 1 of Wednesday will be released on Netflix on August 6, with part 2 of the season coming September 3. 


 

Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.

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