This semester, Nevermore Academy's student body has undergone a subtle transformation. More than two years have passed since Percy Hynes White, who portrayed Wednesday's love interest Xavier Thorpe, was accused of sexual misconduct. Consequently, Xavier's character was removed from the second season of the Netflix series. As for the narrative explanation behind his absence in Jenna Ortega's lead role? The new principal, Barry Dort (played by Steve Buscemi), revealed in the August 6th premiere of the first episode that "Xavier is off to Reichenbach Academy in Switzerland."
Vincent Thorpe, Xavier's father, was none too pleased about his son being falsely identified as the murderer Hyde in the previous season, who was ultimately revealed to be Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan), another of Wednesday's romantic interests. Xavier's transfer to a new institution has paved the way for a more pivotal role for Wednesday's mother, Morticia Addams (Catherine Zeta-Jones), as she now chairs Nevermore's gala fundraising committee. Principal Dort, who succeeded Larissa Weems (Gwendoline Christie) following her demise last season, clarified, "Vincent Thorpe chaired the event for the last three years. But after Xavier was wrongfully accused of murder, he withdrew his son and his endowment from Nevermore."
Though Xavier doesn't make an appearance in the new season, he did send Wednesday a poignant goodbye letter accompanied by an eerie portrait of a one-eyed crow often seen soaring above Jericho. "I tried texting, but I guess you lost the phone I gave you," read Wednesday's roommate Enid (Emma Myers) from the letter in their dorm room. "Consider this my farewell present. The image popped into my head out of nowhere. Don't ask how I know or what it signifies, but I'm certain it's linked to you. After all, what is Wednesday Addams without a mystery to unravel?"
White's absence stems from sexual harassment allegations leveled against him in January 2023. Although he denied these claims, which originated from since-deleted posts, the accusations have had a lasting impact on his life. "An anonymous individual launched a campaign of misinformation against me online," White posted on his Instagram Stories in June 2023. "Because of this, my family has been exposed, and my friends have received death threats."
"The rumors are baseless," continued the 23-year-old. "I cannot accept being portrayed as someone bigoted or criminally negligent regarding others' safety. These false, damaging accusations can foster mistrust towards genuine victims." Notably, he harbors no resentment towards the show, as per Deadline, and was given the option to move forward. "I had an absolute blast working on this show. I eagerly anticipate watching season 2 :)," he wrote on his Instagram Stories in May. "All my love."
Part one of Wednesday is currently streaming on Netflix, with part two premiering on September 6th.
