Jenna Ortega is shedding light on the stereotypes she has encountered in Hollywood, transitioning from her days as a child star to her role as the enigmatic "schoolgirl" in the hit series, Wednesday. In a serendipitous twist, during a profile with Harper's Bazaar timed to coincide with the release of Wednesday, the show's eponymous star revealed how forming bonds with fellow former child actors Winona Ryder, Natasha Lyonne, and Natalie Portman has been "incredibly beneficial and comforting." The latter actress shared her own struggle, noting that due to her petite stature, "people often treat you like a child indefinitely," a sentiment that Ortega resonated with deeply. "I can totally relate to that, and it's always been incredibly frustrating because you don't feel like you're being taken seriously," she confessed. "It's akin to being dressed in a schoolgirl costume... It has an air of condescension. Plus, when you're short, people literally look down on you physically."
Prior to landing the iconic role of Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton's Netflix series, Ortega admitted, "I've always been drawn to darker themes, but as a Disney kid, I was expected to embody bubbliness, kindness, and an over-the-top sweetness." Now, at the age of 22, the Emmy nominee finds herself grappling with the duality of portraying a "schoolgirl" while navigating the transition into adulthood. She elaborated, "I'm starring in a show where I'll play a schoolgirl for years to come, yet I'm also a young woman."
Ortega pointed out that, despite her character being "an outcast and an outsider, she's also a pop-culture icon," catapulting her into the realm of "pop actor" — a path she never envisioned for herself. To avoid being typecast in the horror genre, she's been "striking a balance between projects that appeal to a broader audience and those that resonate with me personally," and is eager to tackle roles that are "older, bolder, and different."
As both a star and an upcoming producer for the second season of Wednesday, Ortega aspires to diversify her entertainment portfolio further. She recently expressed her desire to direct "a script I've known I wanted to bring to life for nearly a decade."
