Emma Myers, star of Addams Family spin-off and Netflix sensation Wednesday, may specialise in mysteriously dark stories – but she herself is sweetness and light.
Having worked in the entertainment industry since she was very young, Emma got her big break starring as werewolf Enid, a ray of sunshine ying to Wednesday (Jenna Ortega)'s yang. The best part? Her character's sunny disposition means she's also often the only person on set allowed to smile on camera.
“It's quite fun to be the complete opposite of most of the cast in that show [and] being the one that's allowed to laugh at things,” she says of her experiences filming both season one and two, the latter of which is coming soon. “So when there are funny moments, I’m the only one that doesn't get in trouble for smiling at it."
When GLAMOUR asks about how filming for season two is going, Emma is largely tight-lipped. “It's going really well, I can't really say anything,” she says. “Otherwise I will mysteriously disappear and nobody will ever see me again if I say anything. The scripts are really good this season, I’m digging them so much and the cast are amazing.”
Joanna Lumley has been slated for a guest star appearance, while Billie Piper will join as a series regular for the second season. “I’ve worked with Billie a few times so far, she’s really great,” Emma divulged.
After Wednesday’s success and establishing Enid as a fan favourite, Emma has gone on to star in her own series, BBC’s A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder. Adapted from the beloved YA novel by Holly Jackson – which is something of a TikTok, or BookTok, sensation – it follows the story of Pip, who is intrigued by a tragic murder suicide that happened at her school five years prior and is convinced that a murderer is still at large.
The show combines the sweetness and nostalgia of a coming-of-age-era story – school crushes, camping trips, formative friendships – with darker topics such as leaked nudes, racism and a sexual assault an underground rave. And of course, murder.
Emma fronts the entire story as Pip, and is delightful doing so. “It is daunting leading a show,” she admits. “It’s a challenge to take on. But I think the payoff is so worth it.” It was also important to her that young female members of the audience might feel inspired by Pip’s escapades.
“I think that it would be good if young kids, especially young girls, watch this and see themselves in Pip and realise that they can do what they want to, find ways to help people and do what's right,” she says.
Emma adds that the young members of the cast became a friendship group in real life. “They’ve all become really close to me,” she says. “I think the portrayal of a friendship on screen is quite true to real life.”
Another friendship of Emma’s that has flourished on and off screen is with Wednesday herself, Jenna Ortega. Their sparring as roommates sparked a close friendship in real life, with Jenna gushing on the Armchair Expert podcast last year that she’s “never had that desire or urge for anybody else”.
"I don't think I've ever been so protective of somebody," the Wednesday actor said about Emma. "I think about her all the time. I only ever want to make sure she's OK and good.”
“We get along so naturally,” she added, describing their closeness while filming the first season in Romania. “I would do voice memos and I would sing her a new song every day, talking about how beautiful and wonderful she was and how she was gonna have the best day ever."
Many fans are begging for a queer storyline between Enid and Wednesday, and are similarly asking whether Jenna and Emma are dating in real life, but it looks like a beautiful platonic love all around. “Every scene we do together is fun, we’re always having a good time,” Emma tells GLAMOUR, adding that this then adds to the chemistry between Enid and Wednesday. “It translates better on screen for sure, and it also makes the environment more comfortable.”
Ensuring that a working environment feels comfortable in Hollywood can be a tricky thing. Emma tells GLAMOUR that one of her key takeaways from being close with Jenna and working with Jennifer Garner on Netflix movie The Family Switch is that women in the entertainment industry always have wisdom to impart , and want to talk about how they have been treated.
“They've all got crazy stories to tell, [that make you think] ‘wow, what a crazy thing it is to be a woman in this industry’. But they're just so inspiring that they keep doing what they're doing, and being good figures while they do it – and not letting anything change them. I've had a lot of good women to lead me, so I’m very grateful.”
She’s clear on the fact that navigating the industry is different, and more difficult, for women. “The way things work in this world, especially as a girl, is difficult. You hear certain stories about things and behaviours that you think ‘oh, that never happened’. And it does happen because people look down on you or think of you differently because you are a woman.”
While Emma is frank about these issues, they’ve not discouraged her or distracted her from her goals. “I think it's also a good blessing to not let any of that deter you,” she says.
When it comes to the pressures of fame on body image, social media presence, your entire life, she has a rather refreshing response. “I've gotten to the point where I don't care, which is great – that's the ideal place to be,” she says, adding that the key is to focus on her performance. “I don't post selfies, I don't really care about that sort of stuff, which is good for my mental wellbeing.” When it comes to looking after herself mentally, Emma has a clear goal. “I just try and stay true to my personality, and not let this industry change me.”
“It's quite a heavy thing to take on,” she admits of what it's like to navigate Hollywood. “It's quite tiring and mentally taxing. But I’ve learned to power through and handle it.”
To stay grounded after Wednesday hit Netflix, Emma describes feeling empowered and safe after seeking solitude and time to recharge with her family. “It was a very dramatic change to go through – overnight, it was a success. So staying with my family and keeping to myself helped me.” Identifying as an introvert, time spent alone reading or listening to music is crucial to Emma so she can recharge, and not “struggling through every interaction” with others, as well as setting boundaries with social media.
“Always take social media breaks if you need them,” she advises, admitting that she only has an Instagram account (with over 10 million followers) and doesn't use any other platforms. “I try not to post too much if it's not for work, because I don't really need everybody knowing what I'm doing 24/7. I don’t really answer DMs and I don’t really comment, just to keep myself away from the craziness of it.”
As well as leading a murder mystery BBC series and bringing our beloved Enid back for a second season of Wednesday, Emma is also set to star in a movie rendition of video game Minecraft, alongside Jennifer Coolidge, Orange Is The New Black star Danielle Brooks, Jack Black and Barbie star and comedian Kate McKinnon. Being cast meant a lot to Emma, above all, because she’s a huge fan.
“Growing up, I loved all sorts of different fantasy and sci-fi video games, so being a part of the things that I loved when I was younger is quite a blessing,” she says. “It feels great to be a fan of something and then suddenly you're in it. I used to play Minecraft when I was younger, and all of a sudden now I'm standing on the set of [the movie], which is quite crazy to me. It's quite empowering, it's good to look back and say, ‘well, what a journey’.”
Fandom is a concept that is close to Emma’s heart, having openly spoken about being a huge fan of K-pop band Seventeen. She loves things with her whole heart, not casually, willing to make them her whole personality if she feels passionately enough.
She’s been called a nerd in the past, sure. But for Emma Myers, being a nerd is an integral part of being an actor – it is the key indicator of passion. “We're all here because we're passionate about the same thing,” she says of herself and her castmates. “I think people forget that actors are nerds themselves. We like to play pretend.”
"We're literally playing dress up literally for a living. So I think that's the nerdiest thing you can do as a job.”
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder is available on BBC iPlayer from 1 July.
