Jenna Ortega recently opened up about how she almost turned down the role that made her a household name.
In a recent conversation with Vanity Fair, Ortega revealed that she initially rejected the role multiple times. At the time, she was more interested in working on movies rather than TV shows. Ortega shared that it was a straightforward phone call with Tim Burton, one of the executive producers, that changed her mind:
“Initially, I wasn’t married to the job. The bluntness of the call with Burton made me want it more. Burton really got in my head.”
Ortega found great success with Wednesday Season 1. The show became Netflix’s most-watched English-language series, surpassing even ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4. Ortega’s portrayal of Wednesday Addams earned her a Golden Globe nomination, and the show received three Primetime Emmy nominations, winning two Saturn Awards.
She Received Some Controversy About The Show
Ortega made critical remarks about ‘Wednesday’s writing in March 2023. In an interview on the Armchair Expert podcast, she admitted that she often changed her character’s lines on set because she felt they didn’t make sense for her character.
This upset some writers in Hollywood, especially during the WGA strike. Some writers criticized her for changing lines without consulting them.
Ortega told Vanity Fair that she realized she could’ve chosen her words more carefully. She said that her remarks were blown out of proportion and that it was hard for her to accept that not everyone would like her. Ortega admitted that she got tired of seeing herself everywhere and understood why others might feel the same.
Ortega is now working as a producer for Wednesday Season 2. She’s optimistic about the writing for the new season and teases that it would have more horror elements.
‘Wednesday’ Season 2 comes in 2025, but you can still stream Season 1 on Netflix or watch it on home video.
