Described by the Telegraph as the most iconic American family after the Kennedys, The Addams Family is a household name even across the Atlantic. Published from 1938 to 1988 in The New Yorker newspaper, Charles Addams's sinister comics evoked the satirical antithesis of the ideal American family. The strange mansion, dismal dinners, deadly pranks… The Addams Family is portrayed as a rich and bizarre aristocratic clan who revels in the macabre and doesn't seem to care about what others think. Among the members of this reclusive tribe stands out: Morticia Addams. Passionate wife, hostess, mother of two boys to whom she leaves everything to do… she has become a role-model to women all over the world, thanks to her confidence and glamorous allure. Morticia Addams makes the gothic style sexy and is revered as an object of absolute desire. In both film and television, she has been regarded by many actresses as having quite a legendary charm.
Carolyn Jones
On September 18, 1964, the ABC channel introduced the television version of The Addams Family. After winning over audiences in The New Yorker, Charles Addams and his family find new life in a series that depicts the daily life of a family like no other. To play Morticia Addams, the producers chose Carolyn Jones. Pale complexion, long black hair, doll face… Carolyn Jones represents the ideal image of a femme fatale, in every sense of the word. When taking on the role, she enjoyed a certain amount of freedom to play the character originally. Carolyn Jones plays the zesty and irresistible personality of a character that is still iconic today. The actress then reprises her role as Morticia in the TV movie The Addams Family: It's Party Time in 1977.
Anjelica Huston
Almost thirty years after the initial success of the iconic series, director Barry Sonnenfeld wanted to bring the macabre family back to life. To play the delicious Morticia, he hired Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston. This reinterpretation takes Carolyn Jones's delicate, glamorous and sinister spin, and combines with the traits of model Jerry Hall: "With the Addams Family, white turns black and all that is good is bad, but Morticia is the most forgiving mother, understanding and wonderful. I have always seen Jerry as a perfect example of motherhood. The transformation of Anjelica Huston into Morticia Addams was more dramatic than that of Carolyn Jones. Her cheekbones are stretched with tape, the makeup is more intense, she wears a wig, false nails, and false eyelashes. The result: a dramatic and seductive creature that still inspires the most glamorous Halloween costumes today.
Daryl Hannah
Described as the least popular of all films about America's strangest family, The Addams Family: The Reunion still remains a pop culture classic. Released directly onto videotape, the film offers a complete reorganization of the cast. Alongside Tim Curry playing Gomez Addams, is Daryl Hannah who dons the enigmatic Tish's black wig. More sensual than her predecessors, she transformed each of her scenes into an opportunity to seduce everyone around her (including the viewer). Even though this version of The Addams Family is less well-known, Daryl Hannah takes full ownership of playing Morticia and delivers a rendition that is both comical and evocative. A successful project to prepare for her next devious role as the lethal Elle Driver in Quentin Tarantino's diptych Kill Bill.
Ellie Harvie
The 1990s were a breeding ground for supernatural and horror series. Goosebumps, Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer… It was obvious that The Addams Family was going to make a comeback on the small screen. Some actors, like John Astin (Gomez Addams in the 1964 series) and Nicole Fugere (Wednesday in the 1997 TV movie) return. But it's an entirely new woman who will slip into Morticia Addams' black dresses. While still retaining the delicate and morbid persona, the new sitcom targeted a younger audience, so Ellie Harvie delivered a more comedic performance than her predecessors.
Charlize Theron
Out of all the different animated adaptations of The Addams Family, the most recent, directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, represents Morticia best. Despite somewhat negative reviews, the animated film grossed $ 180 million at the box office- a massive financial success for spending an initial budget of only $ 24 million. The reason for this was likely because audiences had become quite emotionally attached to the strange family throughout its long history. The new film also cast five-star voice actors who brought the characters back to life. For the English version, the director chose Oscar Isaac (whose Guatemalan and Cuban origins fit perfectly with Gomez's Latin lover character) and Charlize Theron. In an interview, the actress explained how she wanted to keep the most famous aspects of the character while still adding just a bit of novelty. Intended as a throwback to the original The Addams Family, the film allowed her to explore different facets of Morticia Addams’s personality, from her youth to her position as head of the household.
