How They Filmed Thing's Scenes In Netflix's Wednesday
Dean and Sam Winchester. Mulder and Scully. Wednesday and Thing. Every supernatural crime solver needs a partner to back them up when their back is against the wall. Though Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) did not intend on careening down a rabbit hole when she first enrolled in Nevermore Academy, fate had other plans. The events of "Wednesday" kick off upon the titular character's immediate expulsion from Nancy Reagan High School. Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez Addams (Luis Guzmán) ship her off to where she can be among her peers: a school for bizarre adolescents. Wednesday fully intends on continuing her anti-social ways, but this all changes when she sees a fellow student murdered by a strange monster.
With the help of a childhood assistant, Wednesday is on the case. At first, Thing's contribution is slightly unwilling as Wednesday treats him like an insubordinate employee. But after a time, Wednesday's walls fall and they become true allies. Fans of the Tim Burton series quickly became enamoured with Thing, taking to social media to praise Wednesday's helpful and empathetic friend. "Thing is brilliant," wrote one Reddit user. "I love that Wednesday has this one part of her family with her, so she's never really alone." Twitter user @iamkingmonye couldn't help but praise the silent Addams family character, gushing over how Thing is one of their favorite characters on the show. It turns out that being a disembodied hand comes in handy quite frequently. It also turns out that it was an impressive feat to capture the effect on film.
Thing wouldn't be possible without Victor Dorobantu
"Wednesday" may be a modernized version of the popular franchise, but the Netflix series still involves the classic hallmarks that delight fans. It isn't long after Wednesday settles into school that she discovers she isn't alone. Thing first follows her at the behest of her parents but soon joins her wild crusade with his handsy skills. It may seem that the severed appendage is only the result of computer graphics, but that would be doing the man behind the hand — Victor Dorobantu — a disservice.
Netflix revealed on Twitter that Thing is portrayed by Dorobantu, who wears a full-bodied blue suit to get the effect. With his many scenes getting into hard-to-reach places, the actor must contort and many times crawl on the ground to get the shots needed. Dorobantu even showed a video on his personal Instagram about the process of filming one specific underwater scene. While these efforts may seem tedious, there is no doubt that it ultimately gets results. Wednesday would never be one to admit it, but she needs Thing. Her antisocial schtick only gets her so far, and Thing represents a support system that never judges her. From sneaking her into morgues to getting her a dress for the dance, Thing has proven his devotion to his spooky mistress, making him one of the most likable characters in "Wednesday."
Who is Victor Dorobantu?
Victor Dorobantu's behind-the-scenes photos as Thing have taken the internet by storm, with many praising the actor for his difficult role. "SNL" alum Laraine Newman took to Twitter in awe, saying, "I'm sincerely marveling at the actor playing Thing on Netflix's Wednesday ... Victor Dorobantu's work is stunning." With Dorobantu on everyone's mind, one can't help but wonder: who is he?
In the wake of Thing's popularity, Dorobantu discussed his "Wednesday" role in a candid chat with Vanity Fair. "I didn't know we had so many photos of me behind the scenes," the 25 year old magician had to say about the viral behind-the-scenes photos. "It's kind of interesting to see that even for me." Would fans believe that "Wednesday" is Dorobantu's first acting gig? A closeup magician by trade in his native Romania, Dorobantu ended up at a casting house in Bucharest, where he was chosen as a finalist for the role amongst two other magicians.
What nabbed him the role? The magician has no idea. "I wish that Tim [Burton] would tell me what he saw in me," the actor told the outlet. What the trickster does know is that he and the series creator got along swimmingly, recounting how his hand began to take on a life of its own on a table while chatting with Burton for the first time. "So I guess Tim saw in front of him an actor and the hand separately," he said. "So it was a connection from the first moment."