The Addams Family is a franchise about a wealthy, gothic family interested in eclectic and somewhat horror-related hobbies. They are widely known as strange and different outcasts; "they're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether ooky," as the theme song goes, though they do not see themselves as those words. They speak multiple languages and engage in fencing, dancing, writing, and other arts. They have a morbid look but can be seen to be happier than the average individual, even without smiling.

The Adams Family Through the Years

The Addams Family (1973)
Taft Broadcasting 

The Addams' first debut was in the comic panels for The New Yorker in (1938), but it is more notably known for its debut in The Addams Family TV show that ran from 1964 to 1966. After that, a slew of media focused on The Addams Family:

  • The Addams Family (1964–66)
  • The Addams Family Fun-House (1973)
  • The Addams Family (1973–75)
  • Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977)
  • The Addams Family (1991)
  • The Addams Family: The Animated Series (1992–93)
  • Addams Family Values (1993)
  • Addams Family Reunion (1998)
  • The New Addams Family (1998–99)
  • The Addams Family Musical (2010)
  • The Addams Family Animated Movies (2019-2021)
  • Wednesday (2022)

Related: Luis Guzman Shares the Story Behind His Gomez Casting for Tim Burton's Wednesday

Despite this plethora of media, perhaps you have never thought about the ancestry or heritage of the Addams family before today. In recent years, traction has been gaining to refer to the Addams family as a fully or half-Hispanic household. But where do these claims stem from?

Are The Addams Family Confirmed to Be Hispanic?

The Addams Family 2
United Artists Releasing 

Yes, they are! It was first brought up in "Art and the Addams Family," aired on December 18th, 1964. Gomez is depicted in this episode as someone of Castilian extraction and Spanish ancestry. Though it is not mentioned again elsewhere, this little moment provides a basis for the Addams family being seen as Hispanic in the modern day.

The Skin Tone Question

The Addams Family movie 1991
Paramount Pictures

An argument against the Addams family being Hispanic can be cleared up easily, and that is skin tone. The Addams' are known for pale and ghostly white skin, perhaps excluding Gomez himself. In more recent media, it's been made a point to know that people of Spanish descent are of various skin tones, which can be seen with characters in films such as Vanessa from In The Heights or Pepa from Encanto.

The Addams family also lives in a mansion with little sunlight and is generally deterred from the sun, allowing the skin tone argument against them to be null and void.

The Addams Family Culture

A scene from The Addams Family
Paramount Pictures

In terms of culture, there are similarities between Hispanic or Latinx culture in the media and the portrayal of the Addams family. For example, somewhat overdramatized romantic gestures and exclamations of love is a common way that this culture is shown on screen, as seen in many Spanish-language soap operas or parodies. The Addams family parents, Gomez and Morticia, are the perfect example of exclamations of love. They are romantic, passionate, and theatrical in their love expressions.

Swords are a part of Hispanic culture, mostly stemming from Spain. The fencing done frequently by Gomez Addams perfectly reflects this cultural signifier.

A widespread trope carried into present-day media is the Hispanic mother (often of a wealthy family) wearing tight, attractive outfits. You can see this trope used in TV shows like Modern Family with the character of Gloria or even on Tik Tok with Katstickler, portraying the impression of her Hispanic mother. Likewise, Morticia is often shown in tight black clothing, which, while meant to be a dark contrast to her pale skin, also shows off her curves, maintaining this trope of putting the mother in tight clothing.

The Addams Family Values
Paramount Pictures

Death is a large part of Hispanic culture, though from Spain to the Dominican Republic to Mexico, they have various differences, as is evidenced by the slight variations in their 'day of the dead' celebrations or commemorations. A common solidarity is respecting the dead and often having paintings or pictures of deceased family members (sometimes with shrines) to keep their memory alive, passing on stories of their death to others. The Addams family may be a bit obsessed with death, but still, they hold those core values stated above at the same time. They will often bring up a distant relative and how they died, and often have a painting or photo of them, fitting in perfectly with the concept of death in Hispanic culture.

Related: Every Member of The Addams Family, Ranked

Dancing is another essential part of Spanish culture. The Addams family is shown as being excellent dancers, with Gomez and Morticia showing off their dance moves at various times throughout the franchise. These dances are traditional tangos, romantic movements, and precise actions, all often associated with Spanish dancing.

The Addams Family Actors

Ricci Ortega
Paramount Pictures
Netflix

In the 1991 film The Addams Family and its successor, Addams Family Values, the actor who played Gomez was Raúl Juliá. The Puerto Rican actor was the only Hispanic cast member, but it turned the Addams into a half-Latinx family.

Now Jenna Ortega has been cast to play Wednesday Addams in the new series Wednesday on Netflix. The actress has mentioned her excitement about playing Wednesday as a Latina lead. Luis Guzman is also cast in the role of Gomez, and Issac Ordóñez as Pugsley, equating the family to more than half a cast of Hispanic descent. This casting has gotten a lot of press and made the public more aware of the Addams family, cementing a Hispanic portrayal.

Representation for the Public

The Addams Family 1964-1966
MGM Television 

Hispanic leads are something the Hispanic community celebrates, as it happens much less than one might begin to imagine or hope. To others, The Addams Family might seem like a random choice to hold on to, to accept as Hispanic leads. "It's strange," one might say. If so, you have never looked deeper into the Addams family's core values.

They are a family that accepts anyone with open arms, regardless of past issues that may have occurred to you. They stick up for each other and unconditionally love each other. Gomez and Morticia are the pinnacles of a married couple in love, something often not portrayed in the media outside romantic comedies. The parents support their children, no matter what, and allow them to explore their interests. The Addams Family is a unique family for sure, but they are a model household regarding core family values. No wonder the Hispanic community would also want such a family to be deemed Hispanic.

Ultimately, it's safe to say that the Addams family can be considered a Hispanic household, and there can be strong connections between their lives and Hispanic culture. Anyone looking for a strong female Latino lead should check out the newest Addams Family title, Wednesday, on Netflix.