Jenna Ortega facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jenna Ortega
Ortega at the 2024 Venice Film Festival
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 started acting when she was a child. She became well-known for playing a younger version of Jane in the TV show Jane the Virgin (2014–2019). She also won an Imagen Award for her main role as Harley Diaz in the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle (2016–2018).

Later, Jenna played Ellie Alves in the thriller series You (2019) and starred in the family movie Yes Day (2021), both for Netflix. She earned praise for her acting in the drama film The Fallout (2021). Jenna gained huge fame for playing Wednesday Addams in the Netflix horror-comedy series Wednesday (2022–present). For this role, she was nominated for several big awards like the Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy. She also starred in the horror films Scream (2022), X (2022), and Scream VI (2023), and the fantasy film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).

Many media outlets have called Jenna Ortega "Gen Z's scream queen" because of her roles in horror movies. She was listed on The Hollywood Reporters "Power 100" in 2023 and Forbes "30 Under 30" in 2024. Jenna is also known for her fashion style and for supporting many good causes.

Early Life and Beginnings

Jenna Marie Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, in Coachella Valley, California. She is the fourth of six children in her family. Her father has Mexican roots, and her mother has both Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. Because of her acting career, Jenna has said she didn't have a "normal lifestyle." She sometimes wished she could have experienced typical high school events like prom and graduation.

Her Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting (2012–2017)

Jenna became interested in acting when she was six years old. Two years later, her mother posted a video of Jenna performing a dramatic speech on Facebook. This helped Jenna get an agent and start auditioning for roles. She made her acting debut in 2012 with a guest appearance in the TV show Rob. After that, she appeared on CSI: NY.

In 2013, Jenna made her film debut with a small part in the superhero movie Iron Man 3. She also had a supporting role as Annie in the horror film Insidious: Chapter 2. Both of these movies were very successful at the box office.

In 2014, Jenna was cast as Zoe Leon in the series Rake. From 2014 to 2019, she played the younger version of Jane in the romantic-drama series Jane the Virgin. Also in 2014, she starred as Mary Ann in the comedy film The Little Rascals Save the Day. In 2015, Jenna joined the main cast of the Netflix original series Richie Rich, playing Darcy, a character who loves spending Richie's money. She also appeared in the film After Words.

From 2016 to 2018, Jenna starred as the main character, Harley Diaz, in the Disney Channel sitcom Stuck in the Middle. Harley is the middle child of seven siblings and dreams of being an inventor. Jenna's performance earned her an Imagen Award nomination for Best Young Actor – Television. She later received two more nominations and won the award in 2018. In the same year, she joined the cast of Disney's Elena of Avalor as the voice of Princess Isabel. In 2017, she appeared in the music video for Jacob Sartorius' song "Chapstick".

Moving to More Grown-Up Roles (2018–2021)

Ortega in 2020

In 2018, Jenna starred as Dawn in the film Saving Flora. After Stuck in the Middle ended, Jenna wanted to act in more mature projects. However, she found that people often thought Disney roles were all she could do. She even thought about quitting acting because she felt "too old for the young roles and too young for the older roles."

In 2018, Jenna was cast as Ellie Alves in the second season of the Netflix thriller series You, which came out in December 2019. Critics gave the second season good reviews, and The Hollywood Reporter called Jenna a "standout performer." Jenna later said that working on You was one of her favorite experiences. She was supposed to return for later seasons but couldn't due to other work.

Jenna played Phoebe in the Netflix horror film The Babysitter: Killer Queen, released in September 2020. She also voiced Brooklynn in the Netflix animated series Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous (2020–2022). In 2021, she wrote her first book, It's All Love. Jenna then starred in the Netflix comedy movie Yes Day (2021). She played a teenager who wants more freedom from her parents. Jenna liked how the film showed people of color in a normal, everyday setting. Yes Day was released in March 2021. IndieWire praised Jenna as "very capable," and the Associated Press called her "an impressively poised young actor."

Jenna also had a main role in the high-school drama film The Fallout. The movie premiered in March 2021 and was released on HBO Max in January 2022. Critics loved the film, and Jenna's acting was highly praised. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times said her performance was "grounded and deeply moving."

Becoming a Big Star (2022–Present)

In the horror film Scream (2022), Jenna played Tara Carpenter. This was the fifth movie in the Scream series. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett chose Jenna because she could act well in both scary and funny scenes. She felt a bit nervous joining such a famous movie series. Scream was a big success with critics and at the box office. The A.V. Club said Jenna showed "incredible" strength in her role. She also won the MTV Movie Award for Most Frightened Performance.

Jenna later appeared in the Foo Fighters' horror film Studio 666 (2022). She then starred in the horror film X (2022), directed by Ti West. Jenna joined the project because she found the script "the most outrageous thing I've ever read." X became Jenna's highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes. Her last film release of 2022 was the comedy-horror American Carnage.

Ortega promoting Wednesday in 2022

In May 2021, Jenna was cast as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix comedy-horror series Wednesday (2022). She called this a "new chapter" in her career. To get ready for the role, Jenna changed her hair and learned to play the cello and speak German. She also studied the original Addams Family comics.

When Wednesday was released, critics praised Jenna's performance. CNN said her acting made the series special, calling it "relentlessly strange" and "oddly endearing." Wednesday became one of Netflix's most-watched shows. Jenna was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role. She was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, becoming one of the youngest nominees in that category.

In March 2023, Jenna hosted an episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live. Jenna played Tara Carpenter again in Scream VI. She said her character had more personality in this film. Scream VI was released in March 2023 and earned a lot of money. Deadline Hollywood said Jenna's popularity helped the movie's success. In November 2023, it was reported that Jenna left the Scream series because of her busy schedule with Wednesday.

In the drama film Finestkind (2023), Jenna played Mabel. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Many journalists felt Jenna was not the right fit for the role.

Ortega at the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice film premiere at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival

Jenna started 2024 with a starring role in the drama Miller's Girl, alongside Martin Freeman. She called her character, Cairo Sweet, "the most complex character that I've ever played." RogerEbert.com said Jenna was "magnetic enough" to keep viewers interested. Jenna also appeared in and helped produce the romantic drama Winter Spring Summer or Fall, which premiered in 2024. She later starred in the music video for Sabrina Carpenter's song "Taste".

Jenna starred in Tim Burton's fantasy film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024). She played Astrid Deetz, the teenage daughter of Lydia Deetz. The film opened the 81st Venice International Film Festival and received good reviews. The Guardian said Jenna played her character with "just the right note of soulful sullenness." The film has earned over $451 million worldwide. Many publications have said Jenna helped attract younger audiences to the movie.

Future Projects

Jenna will play Wednesday again in the second season of Wednesday. She has also become an executive producer for the show, which means she helps make decisions about costumes, characters, and scripts. She has joined the cast of Klara and the Sun (2025), directed by Taika Waititi. She will also appear in and help produce the film Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025) with The Weeknd and Barry Keoghan. Jenna is also set to star in Death of a Unicorn (2025), a dark comedy with Paul Rudd.

Other Activities

Helping Others and Good Causes

Jenna uses her fame to support many important causes. She has worked with Pride Over Prejudice, a campaign that helps immigrants and refugees. She also supports the National Bullying Prevention Center, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Jenna believes in helping immigrants and fighting against discrimination. She told Teen Vogue that it's important to "embrace your culture" and "stay true to yourself." Jenna is also a strong supporter of women's rights.

In 2016, Jenna organized an event for fans to raise money for a young girl with cancer. At the 2018 Radio Disney Music Awards, Jenna wore a jacket that said "I Do Care and U Should Too." This was her response to a jacket worn by First Lady of the United States Melania Trump, which read, "I Really Don't Care, Do U?". Jenna's message gained a lot of attention. She told the Associated Press that everyone should care about each other and their country. In 2019, Jenna appeared at several We Day concerts to raise money for WE Charity.

In 2023, Jenna, as part of a group called Artists4Ceasefire, signed a letter asking the United States Congress and President Joe Biden to call for peace in conflict areas.

Brand Partnerships

In 2020, Jenna became a brand ambassador for the cosmetics company Neutrogena. In 2023, she became an ambassador for the sportswear company Adidas and the luxury fashion brand Dior. She was the face of Adidas Sportswear, a new clothing line. She also starred in an advertisement for Doritos that aired during the Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024.

Her Acting Style

Inspirations

Jenna was first inspired to act after watching Dakota Fanning in the 2004 thriller film Man on Fire. She was amazed by how a young child could act so powerfully. She watched the film many times and decided she wanted to be "the Puerto Rican version of [Fanning]." She also admired Dakota's sister, Elle. As she grew up, Jenna wanted to be "the female version" of Denzel Washington, who also appeared in Man on Fire. She also looks up to actress Michelle Rodriguez, and fellow Disney stars Selena Gomez and Zendaya. Jenna admires Rodriguez because they are both Latina actresses who worked hard to succeed in acting without many connections. In 2021, Jenna said Riz Ahmed was a role model for her career.

How She Acts and Chooses Roles

Megan Park, who directed Jenna in The Fallout, said that Jenna knows "when to give her all and when to hold back" while acting. She added that it's rare for a young actor to understand this so well. Director Tim Burton compared Jenna's acting to silent film acting, saying she shows emotions through her eyes without words. Jenna says she tries not to over-prepare for a scene because in real life, "you never know what you're going to say next."

Joe Rosenberg, a professor and agent, says Jenna is an actress who "has a feel for the right project at the right time." Jenna feels it's important to take on many different types of acting roles. This helps her avoid being known for only one kind of character. She told Entertainment Tonight in 2021 that she didn't want to be "pigeonholed as an actor." Jenna looks for projects that will have a "forever effect" on her, like The Fallout. She has also said she feels most comfortable acting in horror movies, calling them "very therapeutic."

Personal Life

Jenna has said she wants to be a "private person" and not talk about her romantic life publicly. She believes that talking about her personal life can distract people from her acting work. Jenna has also described the idea of celebrities as "absolutely ridiculous." She says her friends and family help her feel safe and grounded, especially when dealing with the challenging parts of her career. She also mentioned that growing up in the entertainment industry, which is mostly for adults, made her grow up faster than most kids.

Filmography

Movies

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	The Little Rascals Save the Day	Mary Ann	Direct-to-video
2015	After Words	Anna Chapa
2018	Saving Flora	Dawn
2019	Wyrm	Suzie
2020	The Babysitter: Killer Queen	Phoebe Atwell
2021	Yes Day	Katie Torres
	The Fallout	Vada Cavell
2022	Scream	Tara Carpenter
	Studio 666	Skye Willow
	X	Lorraine Day
	American Carnage	Camila Montes
2023	Scream VI	Tara Carpenter
	Finestkind	Mabel
2024	Miller's Girl	Cairo Sweet
	Winter Spring Summer or Fall	Remi Aguilar	Also executive producer
	Beetlejuice Beetlejuice	Astrid Deetz
2025	Death of a Unicorn	Ridley	Post-production; also executive producer
	Hurry Up Tomorrow	TBA	Post-production; also executive producer
TBA	The Gallerist	TBA	Filming
	Klara and the Sun	Klara	Post-production

Television Shows

Music Videos

Awards and Nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Jenna Ortega para niños