Jenna Ortega facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jenna Ortega
Ortega in 2022
Born	Jenna Marie Ortega (2002-09-27) September 27, 2002 (age 22) Palm Desert, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2012–present

Jenna Marie Ortega (born September 27, 2002) is an American actress. She began her career as a child, receiving recognition for her role as young Jane in The CW comedy-drama series Jane the Virgin (2014–2019). From 2016 to 2018, Ortega had a leading role as Harley Diaz in the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle, for which she won an Imagen Award. She played Ellie Alves in the second season of the thriller series You in 2019 and starred in the family film Yes Day in 2021, both for Netflix.

Ortega received critical praise for her performance in the teen-drama film The Fallout (2021). In 2022, she starred in the slasher films Scream and X, and the following year in Scream VI, which established her as a scream queen. Also in 2022, Ortega began starring as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix horror-comedy series Wednesday, for which she received nominations at the Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Early life

Jenna Marie Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, in Coachella Valley, California, the fourth of six children. Her father is of Mexican descent and her mother is of Mexican and Puerto Rican ancestry. Due to her career, Ortega has not "really lived a normal lifestyle"; she has also expressed regret at missing the traditional high school experience and teenage milestones such as prom and graduation.

Career

2012–2017: Early acting roles and Disney

Ortega had become interested in acting from the age of six. Two years later, after her mother posted a video of Ortega doing a dramatic monologue on Facebook, Ortega got an agent and started getting auditions. She soon made her acting debut in 2012 with a guest appearance for Rob, in the episode "Baby Bug." Following this was an appearance on CSI: NY on the episode "Unspoken" as Aimee Moore. In 2013, she made her film debut with a minor role in the superhero movie Iron Man 3 as the vice president's daughter. Following this, Ortega starred in the horror film Insidious: Chapter 2, the second film in the Insidious franchise, as Annie, a supporting role. Both films were successful at the box-office.

In 2014, Ortega was cast in the role of Zoe Leon on the series Rake, and from 2014 to 2019, played the recurring younger version of Jane on the romantic-drama series Jane the Virgin. Also in 2014, she starred as Mary Ann in the direct-to-video comedy film The Little Rascals Save the Day. In 2015, Ortega was cast for the Netflix original series Richie Rich as part of the main cast, playing Darcy, a gold digger who spends Richie's money even without his consent; the show was panned. In the same year, she appeared in the film After Words as Anna Chapa.

From 2016 to 2018, Ortega then went on to star in the lead of the Disney Channel sitcom Stuck in the Middle as Harley Diaz, the middle child of the seven Diaz siblings who is an aspiring inventor. Ortega's performance garnered her an Imagen Award nomination for Best Young Actor – Television; she later received two more nominations for her work on the same show, including a win in 2018. In the same year, she joined the cast on Disney's Elena of Avalor, as the voice of Princess Isabel, which ended in 2020. In 2017, she starred in the music video for Jacob Sartorius' "Chapstick", which also stars the singer. In the video, Ortega played Sartorius' love interest, which gained significant media coverage.

2018–2021: Transition to mature roles

Ortega in 2020

In 2018, Ortega starred in the film Saving Flora in the lead role of Dawn, a circus owner's daughter. After the ending of Stuck in the Middle, Ortega aimed to act in more mature projects but found people assumed Disney roles were "all you can do, or all you were meant for". She considered quitting acting several times, stating she "was too old for the young roles and too young for the older roles". In 2018, Ortega was cast as Ellie Alves in the second season of the Netflix thriller series You, which was released on December 26, 2019. Like the show's first season, the second season received positive reviews, with The Hollywood Reporter's Robyn Bahr noting Ortega as "a standout performer". Retrospectively, Ortega said the show is "easily one of my favorite sets that I've ever, ever been on" and appreciated the creative freedom she was given. She was slated to return for the third and fourth seasons but was unable to due to scheduling conflicts.

Ortega played Phoebe in the Netflix horror film The Babysitter: Killer Queen, which was released in September 2020 to negative critical reviews. Ortega also voiced Brooklynn in the Netflix animated series Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous (2020–2022). In 2021, she made her writing debut with the book It's All Love. Ortega subsequently starred in the Netflix comedy movie Yes Day (2021), portraying a stubborn teenager who wants more independence from her parents. She appreciated the film's representation of people of color because it was shown in "a casual setting where it's acknowledged" in lieu of "shoving it down your throat"; she stated it "could be a really good thing for young people of color to see". Yes Day was released in March 2021 to mixed reviews. IndieWire lauded Ortega as "very capable" and the Associated Press referred to her as "an impressively poised young actor".

Ortega led the high-school drama film The Fallout. The Fallout premiered at South by Southwest on March 17, 2021, and was released on HBO Max on January 27, 2022. The film received a positive response from critics and Ortega's acting was lauded. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times described her performance as "grounded and deeply moving" while The Hollywood Reporter wrote her "beautifully nuanced turn understands the nothing-to-look-at-here façade and the chinks in the armor".

2022–present: Mainstream success and Wednesday

In the slasher film Scream (2022)—the fifth film in the Scream franchise—Ortega played Tara Carpenter, on which she stated: "I don't even think there are words in the English language to correctly express how happy, excited and nervous I am for this journey". Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett cast Ortega because of her ability to play both horror and comic tones, and for the sound of her scream. Ortega felt nervous joining a well-known franchise; she wanted to "do it justice" while "not ripping anybody off". She said her experience working on the film helped her understand the importance of chemistry between the cast to the production process's natural flow. The film was a critical and commercial success, becoming the 28th-highest-grossing film of 2022. According to The A.V. Club, Ortega demonstrated "incredible" resilience and resolve in her role. She also won the MTV Movie Award for Most Frightened Performance. Ortega later appeared in the Foo Fighters-led horror film Studio 666 (2022).

Ortega starred in the slasher film X (2022), which was directed and written by Ti West, who said Ortega was "fearless in her commitment". Ortega cited its script, which was "the most outrageous thing I've ever read", and the opportunity to work with West as reasons for signing onto the project. She found the filming process enjoyable and unique due to West's style of filming. X became Ortega's best-reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes, and Comic Book Resources wrote she had given her best performance of the year. The comedy horror American Carnage was Ortega's final film release of 2022. IGN lauded her "no-shits-given shell" while The A.V. Club said Ortega "continu[es] her streak as the new it-girl of horror with a stubborn punk persona that masks her care for other people".

Ortega promoting Wednesday in 2022

In May 2021, Ortega was cast as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix comedy-horror series Wednesday (2022), which she called a "new chapter" in her career. The creative team sought a Latina actress for the role to align with Gomez Addams's heritage. According to casting director John Papsidera, Ortega was one of the best young Latina actresses in Hollywood at the time. The casting team felt Ortega gave the character the empathy they were seeking, and director Tim Burton said he could not picture another actress portraying Wednesday. Ortega rejected the role several times because she wanted to focus on film acting and feared working on another television series would prevent her from booking the roles she wanted. Ortega reconsidered after learning of Burton's involvement. To prepare for the role, Ortega underwent "the most physical transformation I've ever done", cutting her hair and dying it black, and altering her mannerisms, style of speaking and facial expressions. Ortega also learned to play cello and speak German, read the original Addams Family comic, and watched the 1960s television adaptation.

Ortega called production of Wednesday's first season "the most overwhelming job" she had ever had, and spoke about being in a constant state of confusion and stress over the direction of the series and character. Ortega said she never "had to put my foot down on a set in the way that I had to on Wednesday" because she thought her character's actions and dialogue did not suit her personality. While filming some scenes, Ortega would change lines without informing the crew. Upon Wednesday's release, critics widely praised Ortega's performance. Ortega received nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has also been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, becoming the category's second-youngest nominee. She later spoke about her discomfort with becoming well-known for her work on the show, having had a creatively unpleasant experience filming it.

Ortega reprised her role as Tara Carpenter in Scream VI. She said her character had more personality in this film than in the previous installment, in which she "was screaming and crying the entire time". When creating Tara's personality, Ortega considered several of the character's traits, including her favorite color, fashion style, makeup, and sense of humor. Scream VI was released in March 2023 and grossed over $169 million on a budget of $33–35 million. Deadline Hollywood partially attributed its box office success to Ortega's star power. In a review, Variety's Owen Gleiberman praised Ortega's "surly spunk" and Slant Magazine said she "fantastically embodie[d] the role". Ortega also hosted an episode of the NBC's sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live. In November 2023, Ortega reportedly exited the Scream franchise due to scheduling conflicts with filming of Wednesday's second season. The Hollywood Reporter later stated she left the franchise after an unsuccessful request for seven-figure pay.

While filming Wednesday, Ortega auditioned for the role of Mabel in the crime thriller film Finestkind (2023). Producer Gary Foster was impressed with her previous work, especially The Fallout, and her role in Wednesday helped him persuade the production companies to cast her. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to negative reviews. Many journalists said Ortega had been miscast.

Upcoming projects

Ortega has joined the cast of Lionsgate and Point Grey Pictures's production Miller's Girl opposite Martin Freeman. She called her character in Miller's Girl "the most complex character that I've ever played" and described the material as risky. Ortega is set to star and executive-produce the romantic drama Winter Spring Summer or Fall. Ortega is also due to appear in and executive-produce an untitled Trey Edward Shults film that will co-star The Weeknd and Barry Keoghan. She will also star in Burton's fantasy film Beetlejuice 2, a sequel to Beetlejuice (1988). Ortega has also joined the cast of Alba, which will be produced and distributed by A24; and Death of a Unicorn, a dark comedy co-starring Paul Rudd.

Ortega is set to reprise her role as Wednesday in the second season of Wednesday. She also became an executive producer, which she described as a "natural progression" since the first season was "naturally already very collaborative". Ortega helped oversee the costumes, characters, and scripts.

Other ventures

Ortega has used her platforms to promote support for immigrants and the LGBT community. Ortega supports Pride Over Prejudice, a DoSomething campaign that advocates for immigrants and refugees. She is pro-immigration and anti-discrimination, and told Teen Vogue: "It's important to embrace your culture today because there are so many different ethnicities in America. At the end of the day, you are you. You've got to stay true to yourself, and you can't change yourself in order to fit in or to make someone else feel comfortable." Ortega is also an advocate for women's rights.

In 2016, Ortega organized a meet-and-greet event for fans to raise money for a young girl with cancer. In 2018, at the Radio Disney Music Awards, Ortega wore a jacket displaying the words "I Do Care And U Should Too" in response to the clothing First Lady of the United States Melania Trump wore on a visit to immigrant children who were being housed without their parents that read "I Really Don't Care. Do U?". Ortega's protest gained significant media coverage; she told the Associated Press Trump's apparel displayed "poor judgement" and said: "as first lady of the United States, she should [care about migrant children]". Ortega later said: "We should all care about each other and our country. ... we are one country under God". In 2019, Ortega appeared at numerous WE Day benefit concerts across the U.S. and Canada to raise funds for WE Charity.

In 2020, Ortega was named a brand ambassador for cosmetics manufacturer Neutrogena and was the face of its "My Quinceañera Journey" campaign. In 2023, she became an ambassador for sportswear company Adidas and luxury fashion brand Dior. She was the face of Adidas Sportswear, the company's first new line in 50 years, and one of the faces of Dior's #DareInGrisDior campaign.

Artistry

Fashion

Ortega has been cited as a style icon. Ortega's initial red-carpet style featured bright colors, patterned clothing, and many accessories. Enrique Melendez, her stylist, dressed Ortega in Red Valentino and Thom Browne, wanting her wardrobe to be age-appropriate, fashionable, and stylistically interesting. They later tried to move away from the "feminine and flirty and frilly" style of other Disney actresses. Following her role in You, Ortega began wearing heavier makeup and darker clothing. Media publications said her later style borrowed from that of Wednesday while incorporating high fashion, and described it as goth glam. According to Vogue, her off-screen style has a "dark, gothic fashion sensibility". Ortega said playing Wednesday has "changed my taste a lot" and that she has "a hard time getting her off of me, at least clothing-wise".

Influences

Ortega was initially inspired to pursue acting after watching Dakota Fanning in the 2004 thriller film Man on Fire. Ortega was unable to understand how a young child could perform in a way that could scare her so much; she analyzed the film several times and decided she wanted to be "the Puerto Rican version of [Fanning]". She also admired Fanning's sister Elle and followed both of their careers as a child. As she matured, Ortega aspired to be "the female version" of Denzel Washington, who appeared alongside Fanning in Man on Fire. She also admires Rodriguez, and fellow Disney stars Selena Gomez and Zendaya. Ortega said she admires Rodriguez becasuse they are both Latina actresses who struggled to break into the acting industry due to their lack of connections. In 2021, Ortega cited Riz Ahmed as a career role model, and praised his acting, manner of speaking, and activism.

Role choices

Ortega has said she feels taking more-varied acting roles is important to her to avoid being typecast; she told Entertainment Tonight in 2021 she did not want to be "pigeonholed as an actor", and that her desire to accept the most-diverse roles possible made the transition to mature roles easier for her. She has said she feels most comfortable starring in horror works, describing such projects as "very therapeutic". In 2023, Ortega stated she is mindful of not "over-indexing on the gore scale" and feels "very conflicted" about her interests because there is "a part of me that always feels like the girl in the Coachella Valley".

Personal life

Ortega has said her friends and family give her a sense of safety that helps her deal with the more-challenging parts of her career, adding her family "keep [her] feet on the ground". She believes growing up in an industry dominated by adults forced her to mature earlier than normal.

Ortega followed a vegan diet for a long time but became pescatarian while filming Wednesday.

Filmography

Film

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2013	Iron Man 3	Vice President's daughter
	Insidious: Chapter 2	Annie
2014	Little Rascals Save the Day, The The Little Rascals Save the Day	Ann, MaryMary Ann	Direct-to-video film
2015	After Words	Chapa, AnnaAnna Chapa
2018	Saving Flora	Dawn
2019	Wyrm	Suzie
2020	Babysitter: Killer Queen, The The Babysitter: Killer Queen	Atwell, PhoebePhoebe Atwell
2021	Yes Day	Torres, KatieKatie Torres
Fallout, The The Fallout	Cavell, VadaVada Cavell
2022	Scream	Carpenter, TaraTara Carpenter
Studio 666	Willow, SkyeSkye Willow
X	Day, LorraineLorraine Day
American Carnage	Camila Montes
2023	Scream VI	Carpenter, TaraTara Carpenter
Finestkind	Mabel
2024	Miller's Girl	Cairo Sweet	Completed
Beetlejuice 2	Astrid Deetz	Post-production
TBA	Death of a Unicorn	Ridley	Post-production; also executive producer
Untitled Trey Edward Shults film	TBA	Post-production; also executive producer
Winter Spring Summer or Fall	Remi	Post-production; also executive producer

Television

Music videos

• "Chapstick" (2017), by Jacob Sartorius

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jenna Ortega para niños