Jenna Ortega has spoken out about Percy Hynes White’s removal from Wednesday, coming after sexual assault allegations against the star.
Wednesday Season 2 will likely arrive on Netflix in 2025, two years after it was renewed in 2023. In January of the same year, several allegations were made against Hynes White, who starred as Xavier Thorpe in the first season.
He denied the allegations, but he’s since been “written out” of the streaming service‘s production. Netflix never confirmed nor denied if his disappearance was linked to the allegations.
Ortega has now addressed his removal from the cast. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Ortega shared that continuing without him has been “a weird redirect, but we’re introducing so many different characters that I think it kind of will get lost.”
She added that the world being created for Wednesday Season 2 “does feel slightly askew anyway.”
Shortly after the allegations came to light, Hynes White publicly denied them, claiming them to be a “campaign of misinformation.”
In an Instagram story, he wrote: “Earlier this year, somebody I’ve never met started a campaign of misinformation about me online. Because of this, my family has been doxxed, and my friends have received death threats.
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“Underage photos of me were used, and examples of me acting in character were presented as hateful. My friend Jane was falsely portrayed as a victim, and her attempts to set the record straight have been ignored. She gave me permission to include her in this message.
“The rumors are false. I can’t accept the portrayal of me as someone bigoted, or criminally negligent of people’s safety. These are the kind of baseless, harmful claims that can create mistrust toward victims. It’s very distressing to know that this misinformation has upset people.
“I’m really thankful for everyone who’s stood by me and helped share the facts. Harassment of my family, friends and coworkers needs to stop please. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”
Neither Ortega nor Netflix has commented directly on any allegations made against Hynes White.
Revisit the ending of Wednesday Season 1, or check out updates for other Netflix shows including Stranger Things Season 5 and Virgin River Season 6. You can also find new TV shows and TV shows streaming this month.
