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Former Wednesday star Percy Hynes White has responded after being axed from season two.
On Tuesday (7 May), Netflix released the cast list for the new season as cameras started rolling on the Addams Family spin-off series.
While Ortega recently surprised fans by leaving another one of her Netflix projects, the 21-year-old will return as Wednesday Addams in the show, which she also produces.
But White, a major player in season one, who appeared set to return as main character Xavier Thorpe in new episodes, has been dropped from the series. The news follows allegations of sexual misconduct the actor faced, and denied, last year.
It’s worth noting that, while Jamie McShane and Naomi J Ogawa will also not be returning, their characters – Donovan Galpin and Yoko Tanaka – weren’t expected to have roles in season two.
White has now addressed his absence from season two, and appears to be taking the news in his stride.
Hours after the cast list was revealed, Hynes re-shared a photo of season two’s main cast members that had been posted by Wednesday co-creator Alfred Gough on Instagram.
He captioned the image: “I had so much fun working on this show. I can’t wait to watch season two. Much love.”
In January 2023, Hynes White was accused of alleged sexual activities with several women in a series of now-deleted tweets. In response to the initial posts, some Wednesday fans campaigned for his removal from the show.
Months later, Hynes White said that the accusations were untrue and part of a “campaign of misinformation”.
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The actor wrote in an Instagram post shared in June 2023: “Earlier this year, somebody I’ve never met started a campaign of misinformation about me online. Because of this, my family has been doxxed, and my friends have received death threats.”
“Underage photos of me were used, and examples of me acting in character were presented as hateful. My friend Jane was falsely portrayed as a victim, and her attempts to set the record straight have been ignored. She gave me permission to include her in this message.”
He continued: “The rumours are false. I can’t accept the portrayal of me as someone bigoted, or criminally negligent of people’s safety. These are the kind of baseless, harmful claims that can create mistrust toward victims.
“It’s very distressing to know that this misinformation has upset people. I’m really thankful for everyone who’s stood by me and helped share the facts. Harassment of my family, friends and coworkers needs to stop please. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”
Hynes White and Netflix have declined to comment.
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk.
If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
