You probably remember the "Bloody Mary" TikTok craze. It was everywhere. Jenna Ortega’s deadpan dance moves somehow fit Lady Gaga’s 2011 track so perfectly that a collaboration felt destined by the goth gods themselves. When Netflix finally announced that Mother Monster was officially joining the cast for season 2, the internet basically had a collective meltdown. But now that the episodes are out, the big question remains: who did lady gaga play in wednesday?
If you blinked, you might have missed her. Honestly.
Meet Rosaline Rotwood: Nevermore’s Ghostly Legend
Lady Gaga doesn't just show up as a regular teacher. She plays Rosaline Rotwood, a deceased, legendary former professor at Nevermore Academy. She’s a "Raven," just like Wednesday. This means she possesses powerful psychic abilities that mirror the titular character’s own dark visions.
She makes her big entrance in Season 2, Episode 6, titled “Woe Thyself.”
Wednesday is in a rough spot. She lost her psychic powers during the first half of the season and is desperate to get them back to save Enid. On the advice of her grandmother, Hester Frump (played by the iconic Joanna Lumley), Wednesday visits Rosaline’s grave.
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Gaga appears as a ghostly apparition. She’s a vision in white—pale skin, silver hair, and a presence that makes the air turn cold. She isn’t exactly "nice," though. In typical Gaga fashion, the character is enigmatic and a bit biting. She calls Wednesday out on her "monochrome armor" and her arrogance. It’s exactly the kind of "monster-to-monster" mentor dynamic Jenna Ortega once hoped for in interviews.
That "Freaky Friday" Twist You Didn't See Coming
The interaction between Gaga’s Rosaline Rotwood and Wednesday leads to one of the wildest moments of the season. To help Wednesday regain her sight, Rosaline forces her to undergo a trial: holding her palm over an enchanted flame.
"If you pull your palm from the flame, you will break the Raven's gaze, and there will be a price to pay," Rosaline warns.
Of course, things go sideways. Enid bursts in, Wednesday flinches, and the spell breaks. The "price"? The two best friends swap bodies. It’s a total Freaky Friday situation. We get to see Wednesday (in Enid’s body) dealing with colors and upbeat energy, while Enid (in Wednesday’s body) is suddenly dark and brooding. Gaga’s ghost pops up again later on a statue to warn them they have until dawn to switch back or, well, die.
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Why Some Fans Are Actually Pretty Mad
Here’s the thing: people expected a massive role. The hype was huge. Netflix teased it at their Tudum event with Gaga literally emerging from a coffin.
But if you’re looking for a series regular, you’ll be disappointed. Gaga’s total screen time is less than two minutes. She shot her entire part in Ireland in just one day. Some fans on X (formerly Twitter) called it "criminal" that such a legendary character was given so little exposition.
There’s also some chatter about the CGI used during her ghost scenes. It’s a bit... polarizing. While her performance is vintage Gaga—theatrical and commanding—the brevity of the cameo left a lot of Little Monsters wanting more.
What You Might Have Missed
- The Song: Gaga didn't just act; she released an original song for the show called "The Dead Dance."
- The Director: The music video for that track was actually directed by Tim Burton himself.
- The Look: Gaga’s look as Rosaline featured a "vision in venom" aesthetic, complete with Thing perched on her shoulder in official promo shots.
- The Connection: Gaga’s involvement only happened because she reached out to the production after seeing the "Bloody Mary" trend.
What This Means for Season 3
Is this the last we've seen of Rosaline Rotwood? Probably not. The showrunners, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, have a habit of bringing back "dead" characters—just look at Gwendoline Christie’s Principal Weems returning as a spirit guide.
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Rosaline Rotwood is established as a "legendary" figure in Nevermore lore. Given how she challenged Wednesday to "unravel the innermost secrets," it’s highly likely she’ll pop up again when Wednesday needs more psychic training. Gaga has solidified her place in the Addams Family universe, even if it was just for a fleeting, ghostly moment.
If you want to catch the cameo yourself, head straight to Episode 6 of Season 2. Just don't look away, or you'll miss the Mother Monster's debut at Nevermore.
Next Steps:
Check out the official music video for "The Dead Dance" to see more of the Gaga/Tim Burton collaboration, as it features much of the same Gothic aesthetic used for her character in the show. You should also re-watch the end of Episode 6 carefully—the Latin inscription on Rosaline's grave actually hints at a major plot point for the Season 2 finale.