Jenna Ortega Battles On-Screen Demons, Off-Screen Scrutiny
“Wednesday” Star Opens Up About Stress and Stardom’s Price
Young actress Jenna Ortega, known for her intense portrayal of Wednesday Addams, reveals the significant personal toll her performances take, admitting her work often leads to sleepless nights and nightmares.
Anxiety Behind the Performance
The 22-year-old actress confessed to The Hollywood Reporter that she finds it difficult to rewatch her scenes, often feeling immense pressure and anxiety. “I don’t think I have ever shot a scene in my life that did not prevent me from sleeping and gave nightmares,” Ortega shared. She described the early days of filming as chaotic and stressful, noting that her nervousness is visible in older footage.
Despite her internal struggles, director Tim Burton noted that she hides it well. Ortega herself commented on her character’s role, stating, “What is great with the character on Wednesday is that she constantly makes remarks on society and that she somehow denigrates the public,” a sentiment that has sometimes drawn sharp criticism online.
The Erosion of the “Movie Star” Persona
Ortega also discussed the modern phenomenon of the “death of the movie star,” where excessive public knowledge blurs the lines between an actor’s persona and private life. She lamented the expectation for creatives to constantly share themselves publicly, suggesting they should be allowed to focus solely on their art.
“We know too much. And people feel in right to access these snippets of your life, while if they were themselves subject to the same meticulous examination, they would not feel so comfortable. But we are expecting creatives that they are expressed publicly, when they should not do half of the time. They are supposed to become their brand sellers. But we should simply lock them in a room and let them create their art.”
—Jenna Ortega
The actress feels a growing disconnect from her public identity, stating, “We almost come to a point where we have the impression that our name no longer belongs to us. I hardly identify with him anymore.” She also highlighted the challenges of confronting public prejudice.
Tim Burton echoed this sentiment, expressing nostalgia for a time when actors and film productions maintained more mystery. “The days when everything was mysterious,” he mused. “I regret the time when we did not know how much a film cost and when we did not know everything about the actors.”
“Wednesday” Season 2 Promises More Horror
Details about the upcoming two-part season of “Wednesday” remain under wraps, with the first four episodes premiering August 6 and the following four on September 3. Jenna Ortega offered a glimpse into the new season, noting Netflix’s increased confidence and more ambitious sequences.
The cast will be joined by new talent such as Steve Buscemi and Billie Piper, whose presence pushes Ortega to excel. The new season will explore Wednesday’s reaction to saving her school, with Ortega anticipating, “It is therefore nice to see her collapse again Under the weight of the attention we pay to him.”
Industry analysis suggests that while the average streaming budget for original series has risen significantly, reaching an estimated $12.7 million per episode in 2023 (Forbes, 2023), the pressure on actors to maintain a public presence continues to grow.
