Gomez Addams – An Introspective Dive

“Where are we from!? Funny you should ask. July 31st, 1715. The Spanish Warship, Pico De Gallo, commanded by my great nautical ancestor, General Redondo Ventana Languna Don Jose Cuervo, leaves Madrid, bound for the new world. Three weeks later, he is still in Madrid, as Madrid is four hundred miles from the nearest ocean. A stubborn man, he sets sail anyway, only to sink, six months later, off the southern coast of Florida - a hostile land, infested with mosquitoes, rattle snakes, and many retired Jewish peoples. But enough about us.” 

The Addams Family has developed into a beloved franchise since its inception in the early 60s. Namely, The ABC TV network created The Addams Family television series, which was based on the Addams’ cartoon likenesses. In short, the general premise of the franchise revolves around a ghoulishly strange family and the relationships within it. Gomez and Morticia are husband and wife and are also madly in love. Together, they had two children, Wednesday, and Pugsley. The two often feud, as any “normal” sibling pair would. Lurch is also present, who serves as the family’s half-dead butler. Furthermore, Grandma Addams is often depicted in an out-of-touch manner. She’s quite crazy and lacks awareness in contrast to the other characters. Lastly, Uncle Fester serves as the primary comedic relief of the show. Over time, this franchise has grown immensely, with various adaptations across multiple mediums. Namely, various animated shows such as The Addams Family: The Animated Series (1992-1993), The Addams Family (1973), and The Addams Family (2019). Along with this were a plethora of live-action adaptations, with the most recent being Netflix’s Wednesday (2022). With all of this said, however, I would like to take a deeper dive into Gomez Addams and evaluate his character arcs over the years. 

In almost every adaptation, Gomez is quite inferior to his wife, Morticia. She has always served as the family’s spearhead and makes most of the decisions. This is an interesting element, as the men of the early sixties did not translate these ideals into reality. However, it was an early sign of breaking the patriarchy in the film and media industry. Nonetheless, Gomez’s primary motives in life stem from pleasing his wife and protecting his family, which is integral to a father-figure like himself. Along with this, Gomez’s personality stems largely from his Spanish Ancestry, which was first mentioned in “Art and the Addams Family.” Morticia refers to him as a “mad Castillan” in one of the episodes, demonstrating his passion for his roots. This trait has remained consistent throughout the various adaptations of the Addams Family, which is enhanced by his pencil moustache and devotion to Morticia. In some adaptations, it is mentioned that he is a wealthy businessman who studied law. However, Gomez’s relationship with work has remained fickle as he has struggled between balancing his family and work. Nevertheless, he cares for his wife above all, and his love is constantly tested across every adaptation. 

Rachel Ezeadichie (Uncle Fester), Gigi Perlaza (Morticia), Alain Deen (Gomez), Giancarlo Oliveri (Lurch), Caroline Testa (Pugsley), Quinn O’Connor (Wednesday), Carolina Caraballo (Grandma).  

I had the pleasure of playing Gomez in Valley Stream North’s recent production of The Addams Family Musical. It was a great experience, to say the least. I had a lot of fun with the character and delved deep into his passion for Morticia and love for his roots. However, in this particular adaptation, Gomez is tested in terms of Wednesday as well. He had to keep a secret from Morticia (something he would never dare attempt) in order to please Wednesday. From playing Gomez, I gained more insight into the character himself, learning more about the intricacies of passion and unconditional love. My character served as the driving force for most of the events throughout the show, including various songs which demonstrated his internal conflict, arguments with Morticia, and antics with lurch. Overall, it is safe to say that with every adaptation, Gomez’s love for Morticia is tested the most. He is a man of his word, and never wants to keep secrets, unless it is at the expense of his daughter. Although Gomez deeply cares for his wife, his children also play a prominent role in his life, demonstrating another complex aspect to his character.  

Alain Deen (Gomez)