Ortega began acting professionally at age nine and received recognition for her role as a younger version ofJane inThe CW comedy-drama seriesJane the Virgin (2014–2019). She then played a leading role asHarley Diaz in theDisney Channel seriesStuck in the Middle (2016–2018), for which she won anImagen Award. She expanded into more mature projects afterwards, playingEllie Alves in the thriller seriesYou (2019) and co-starring in the horror-comedy filmThe Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020), both forNetflix. She received praise for her performance as a traumatized high school student in the drama filmThe Fallout (2021).
Ortega rose to wider prominence as a scream queen after co-starring in the successful slasher filmsScream (2022),X (2022), andScream VI (2023). She gained international recognition and critical plaudits for her portrayal ofWednesday Addams in the Netflix horror-comedy seriesWednesday (2022–present), for which she received nominations at theGolden Globe,Primetime Emmy, andScreen Actors Guild Awards. She has since starred in the blockbuster fantasy filmBeetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) and the ill-received thriller filmHurry Up Tomorrow (2025). Aside from acting, Ortega has been noted for her goth glam style in addition to supporting various charitable causes.
Early life
Jenna Marie Ortega,[1] the fourth of six siblings, was born on September 27, 2002,[2] inPalm Desert, California.[1][3] Her father, Edward Ortega,[4] a former sheriff who works at a Californiadistrict attorney's office, is ofMexican descent, and her mother, Natalie Ortega,[4] anemergency room nurse, is of Mexican andPuerto Rican descent.[5][3][6] Ortega's maternal great-grandmother was an undocumented immigrant fromSinaloa, Mexico,[7] and her maternal grandfather relocated from Puerto Rico tothe Bronx,New York, before moving to theWestern United States.[8] Ortega grew up inLa Quinta, California,[3] and has described her childhood self as "loud and extroverted".[9] She wanted to act from the age of six and begged her mother for three years to let her pursue that career path.[3][10] Her mother attempted to distract her with activities including soccer and schoolwork.[3][5] Soccer almost convinced Ortega to quit pursuing acting.[11] Ortega's mother bought her a monologue book when she was nine and posted a video of her performing online. A casting director saw it and signed her to an agency.[3][5]
Ortega's mother began driving her toLos Angeles as often as five days per week for auditions, a journey that could take six hours round trip.[5] She struggled to land roles because few parts existed forLatinas—and, it seemed, she "didn't look [a certain] way". Such rejection challenged her self-esteem.[12] She considered dyeing her hair blonde in an attempt to book more roles.[13][14] For the first year, with no connections in the film industry, Ortega only auditioned for TV commercials. She managed to secure parts in 12 national campaigns, including three forMcDonald's.[15][16] During the school week, she would act in Los Angeles for a few days and subsequently return home to attend school.[5] She attended public school,[17] including Amelia Earhart Elementary School andJohn Glenn Middle School.[18] She stopped attending public school during eighth grade to act inDisney productions and got an apartment in Los Angeles after booking a role inStuck in the Middle (2016–2018).[3][19] During that time, Ortega acted in Los Angeles during theworkweek and returned home on weekends.[18]
From 2016 to 2018,[30] Ortega led theDisney Channel sitcomStuck in the Middle as Harley Diaz, an aspiring inventor who is the middle child of the seven siblings.[31] Ortega drew inspiration from her own family and relationships with her siblings; she felt her experience starring on the show was akin toreality television.[19]Common Sense Media praised Ortega's performance, saying she "commands this role, pleading her case as a long-suffering middle kid while finding the humor in the many calamities that befall her efforts to shine".[32] Ortega garnered threeImagen Award nominations for Best Young Actor – Television, including a win in 2018.[33][34][35] She also voiced Princess Isabel inElena and the Secret of Avalor (2016) andElena of Avalor (2016–2020).[36][37]
2018–2021: Transition to mature roles
Ortega in 2020
In 2018, Ortega starred in the filmSaving Flora in the lead role of Dawn, a circus owner's daughter.[38][39] AfterStuck in the Middle ended, she aimed to act in more mature projects but found people assumed Disney roles were "all you can do, or all you were meant for".[3] She considered quitting acting several times, saying that she "was too old for the young roles and too young for the older roles".[16] In 2018, she was cast asEllie Alves in thesecond season of the Netflix thriller seriesYou,[3] which was released on December 26, 2019.[40][41] Like the show's first season, the second season received positive reviews;[42]The Hollywood Reporter's Robyn Bahr noted Ortega as "a standout performer".[43] Ortega was slated to return forthe third andfourth seasons but was unable to do so due to scheduling conflicts.[16][44]
Ortega played Phoebe, the love interest ofJudah Lewis's character, in Netflix's horror filmThe Babysitter: Killer Queen,[45] which was released in September 2020 to negative critical reviews.[46] She also voiced a travel vlogger named Brooklynn in the Netflix animated showJurassic World Camp Cretaceous (2020–2022).[47] In 2021, she made her writing debut with the bookIt's All Love: Reflections for Your Heart & Soul, which contains a series of quotes and statements regarding faith and love.[48][49] She starred in the Netflix comedy movieYes Day (2021), portraying a stubborn teenager who wants more independence from her parents.[50][51] It was released in March 2021 to mixed reviews.[52]IndieWire lauded Ortega as "very capable",[53] and theAssociated Press referred to her as "an impressively poised young actor".[54]
Ortega had a leading role in the high-school drama filmThe Fallout, starring as a student who is navigating her emotional trauma after aschool shooting.[55] To prepare for the role, she looked at photographs and watched videos and interviews about school shootings; processing such events afterward "kind of came naturally". She also participated in theMarch for Our Lives movement, which leddemonstrations in support ofU.S. gun control legislation.[17]The Fallout premiered atSouth by Southwest on March 17, 2021, and was released onHBO Max on January 27, 2022.[56] The film received a positive response from critics,[57] and Ortega's acting was applauded.[58]Richard Roeper of theChicago Sun-Times described her performance as "grounded and deeply moving",[59] whileThe Hollywood Reporter wrote that her "beautifully nuanced turn understands the nothing-to-look-at-here façade and the chinks in the armor".[60]
2022–present: Mainstream breakthrough
In the slasher filmScream (2022)—the fifth film in theScream franchise—Ortega playedTara Carpenter,[61][62] 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".[63] DirectorsMatt Bettinelli-Olpin andTyler Gillett cast Ortega because of her ability to play both horror and comic tones, and for the sound of her scream. She felt nervous about joining a well-known franchise, wanting to "do it justice" without "ripping anybody off".[5] She said that working on the film taught her the importance of cast chemistry to the natural flow of the production process.[64]Scream was a critical and commercial success,[65] becoming the28th-highest-grossing film of 2022.[66] According toThe A.V. Club, Ortega demonstrated "incredible" resilience and resolve in her role.[67] She also won theMTV Movie Award for Most Frightened Performance.[68]
Ortega later appeared in theFoo Fighters–led horror filmStudio 666 (2022).[69] Reviewers said she was underused;[70][71] according to theLos Angeles Times, "[n]ot even [a] cameo from ... 2022's newly minted Scream Queen Jenna Ortega ... can offer true horror bona fides to this flick".[72] She then starred in the slasher filmX (2022), which was directed and written byTi West,[73] who said Ortega was "fearless in her commitment".[74] Ortega signed onto the project because of its script, calling it "the most outrageous thing I've ever read",[75] and the opportunity to work with West.[76]X became Ortega's best-reviewed film on review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes;[77]The Australian dubbed her and co-starMia Goth "scene-stealers".[78] The comedy-horrorAmerican Carnage was Ortega's final film release of 2022.[77]The A.V. Club said she was continuing "her streak as the new it-girl of horror with a stubborn punk persona that masks her care for other people",[79] whileIGN lauded her "no-shits-given shell".[80]
Ortega promotingWednesday in 2022
In May 2021, Ortega was cast asWednesday Addams in the Netflix comedy-horror seriesWednesday (2022),[81] which she called a "new chapter" in her career.[82] She auditioned through aZoom call with directorTim Burton, during which she read a four-page monologue.[83] The casting team felt her portrayal offered the character the necessary empathy.[3] She was initially hesitant to accept the part because she wanted to focus on film acting and feared working on another television series would prevent her from booking the roles she wanted.[84] To prepare for the role, Ortega underwent "the most physical transformation I've ever done", cutting her hair and dying it black, as well as altering her mannerisms, style of speaking, and facial expressions.[85] She also learned to play cello and speak German, read the originalAddams Family comic, and watchedthe 1960s television adaptation.[86] Ortega called the production ofWednesday's first season her "most overwhelming job" in 2022, and spoke about being in a constant state of confusion and stress over the direction of the series and character.[87] She said that she had never "had to put my foot down on a set in the way that I had to onWednesday", believing that the initial writing was nonsensical from a character standpoint and did not suit Wednesday's personality. While filming some scenes, Ortega would change her lines without informing the crew.[88][89]
UponWednesday's release, critics widely praised Ortega:[90][91]CNN said that her performance sets the series apart from similar spin-offs, being "relentlessly strange, a portrait in unblinking intensity and oddly endearing all at once".[92]Wednesday became one ofNetflix's most-watched shows, receiving over 1 billion viewing hours within a month.[93] Ortega's performance received nominations for aGolden Globe Award and aScreen Actors Guild Award.[94][95] She was also nominated for thePrimetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, becoming the category's second-youngest nominee.[96] She later spoke about her discomfort with becoming well known for her work on the show, having had a creatively unpleasant experience filming it.[97]
In March 2023, Ortega hosted an episode ofNBC'ssketch comedy seriesSaturday Night Live.[98][99] Ortega reprised her role as Tara Carpenter inScream VI.[100] The film was released in March 2023 and grossed over $169 million on a budget of $33–35 million.[101][102][103]Deadline Hollywood attributed its box-office success partially to Ortega's star power.[104] In a review,Variety'sOwen Gleiberman praised her "surly spunk",[105] andSlant Magazine said she "fantastically embodie[d] the role".[106] In November 2023, Ortega exited theScream franchise after her co-starMelissa Barrera was fired due to herpro-Palestinian comments on theGaza war; she stated a subsequent film did not appear to be the "right move" due to the changing cast and crew.[8][107][108] Earlier reports suggested that Ortega left the franchise because of scheduling conflicts with the filming ofWednesday's second season and an unsuccessful request for seven-figure pay.[109][110] In the crime thriller filmFinestkind (2023), Ortega played Mabel, a drug dealer's daughter who is seeking her own path in life.[111][112] The film premiered at theToronto International Film Festival to negative reviews.[113][114] Many journalists said Ortega had been miscast.[115][116][117]
Ortega began 2024 with a starring role in the dramaMiller's Girl, oppositeMartin Freeman.[118] The film tells the story of Cairo Sweet (Ortega), a high schooler whose writing ability captures her teacher's interest, which leads to a complicated relationship between the two.[119] She called her character "the most complex character that I've ever played" and described the material as risky since she thought it would provoke discussions on topics people may find disturbing.[120]RogerEbert.com'sChristy Lemire found Ortega "magnetic enough" to maintain the viewer's interest, although she thought the character's motives were predictable and illogical;[121] Mark Kennedy of the Associated Press dubbed the film "a pointless, awkward turn" in her career.[122] Ortega appeared in the romantic dramaWinter Spring Summer or Fall,[123] which premiered at the 2024Tribeca Festival.[124] Director Tiffany Paulsen described Ortega as the casting team's first choice for the role of Remi Aguilar, a driven genius who falls in love with a rebellious musician.[125] She later starred in the music video forSabrina Carpenter's song "Taste".[126][127]
In the dark comedyDeath of a Unicorn (2025),Paul Rudd and Ortega starred as a father and daughter who accidentally kill aunicorn, leading to brutal consequences.[138][139] Ortega said she was drawn to the project because of its original and unique script.[8] The film received mixed reviews.[140]Peter Travers ofABC News said Ortega "takes this horror comedy into human territory and gives it a beating heart", bringing energy to the story despite its perceived shortcomings.[141] Another review inIGN described her portrayal as a "wonderfully lived-in performance" of a withdrawn youth, praising her ability to "inject great thought and subtext into any scenario".[142] She next featured inTrey Edward Shults'Hurry Up Tomorrow, co-starring alongsideAbel Tesfaye andBarry Keoghan.[143] Ortega played Anima, a troubled young woman who pulls Tesfaye's character into an existential odyssey.[144] The film was panned by critics, but Ortega's performance was generally praised. Clint Worthington ofRogerEbert.com felt that she did "her best to uplift her half of the movie",[145] whileFrank Scheck ofThe Hollywood Reporter commended her "intense" energy.[144]IndieWire's Charles Bramesco, however, dismissed her performance as "imitative and hollow".[146]
Ortega reprised her role as Wednesday in the second season ofWednesday. She became a producer,[15] which she described as a "natural progression" since the first season was "naturally already very collaborative",[147] though she said her new role made her feel "more empowered to speak my mind". Ortega was involved with writing, design, and casting, where she discussed scripts, oversawprosthetics, and observed auditions and chemistry reads.[8] She stated the experience was "a great education" where she sought to immerse herself and absorb as much as possible.[148] Upon the season's 2025 release, Ortega's performance continued to received positive reviews.[149][150]RogerEbert.com described her portrayal as "expertly calibrated between menacing and inquisitive",[151] andThe Guardian said her "charisma could power a thousand hearses".[152]
In 2016, Ortega organized a meet-and-greet event for fans to raise money for a young girl with cancer.[156] At the 2018Radio Disney Music Awards, Ortega wore a jacket displaying the words "I Do Care and U Should Too" in response to the clothingFirst Lady of the United StatesMelania Trump wore on a visit to see immigrant children who were being housed without their parents. Trump's jacket read, "I Really Don't Care, Do U?".[157][158] Ortega's protest gained significant media coverage;[19] she told the Associated Press that Trump's apparel displayed a lack of judgement and as the first lady, she ought to show concern for migrant children.[159][160] Ortega later said: "We should all care about each other and our country ... we are one country under God".[19] In 2019, Ortega appeared at numerousWe Day benefit concerts across the U.S. andCanada to raise funds forWE Charity.[161]
In 2020, Ortega was named a brand ambassador for the cosmetics manufacturerNeutrogena and was the face of its "My Quinceañera Journey" campaign.[166][167] In 2023, she became an ambassador for the sportswear companyAdidas and the luxury fashion brandDior.[168][169] She was the face of Adidas Sportswear, the company's first new line in 50 years,[170] as well as one of the faces of the #DareInGrisDior campaign.[171] In 2025, she was announced as a global beauty ambassador for Dior.[172] Ortega starred alongsideDanny Ramirez, Olivia Negron, andPatricia Mauceri in an advertisement forDoritos that aired at theSuper Bowl LVIII in February 2024.[173][174]
Artistry
Influences
Ortega was initially inspired to pursue acting after watchingDakota Fanning in the 2004 thriller filmMan 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]".[175][176] She also admired Fanning's sister,Elle, and followed both of their careers as a child.[177] As she matured, Ortega aspired to be "the female version" ofDenzel Washington, who appeared alongside Dakota Fanning inMan on Fire.[18] She also admires Rodriguez and fellow Disney Channel starsSelena Gomez andZendaya.[178] Ortega said she admires Rodriguez because they are both Latina actresses who struggled to break into the acting industry due to their lack of connections.[179] In 2021, Ortega namedRiz Ahmed as a career role model and praised his acting, manner of speaking, and activism.[17]
Acting style and role choices
Megan Park, who directed Ortega inThe Fallout, said that she knows "when to give her all and when to hold back" while acting, adding that "to have that understanding of herself as a performer at such a young age" is extremely rare.[3] Burton compared Ortega's acting style tosilent film acting, saying she expresses emotion through her eyes without words.[3][180] Ortega says she tries not to be more prepared than necessary for a scene because "you never know what you're going to say next or what your next facial expression is going to be" in real life.[169]
TheDodge College professor and agent Joe Rosenberg describes Ortega as an actress who has "a feel for the right project at the right time" and is "savvy" with her role choices.[181] Ortega feels taking more varied acting roles is important to her to avoid being typecast; she toldEntertainment Tonight in 2021 that she did not want to be "pigeonholed as an actor"[58] and that her desire to accept the most diverse roles possible made the transition to mature roles easier for her.[58][182] Ortega stated that she looks for projects that will have a "forever effect" for her, such asThe Fallout.[74] She has said she feels most comfortable starring in horror works,[183] describing such projects as "very therapeutic".[3] In 2023, Ortega said 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 theCoachella Valley".[5]
Media image
Media publications have described Ortega's style as goth glam.
Commenting on Ortega's off-screen persona,Who What Wear wrote in 2022 that she is "poised, mature, and wise beyond her years" while providing "an essence of relatability".[184] A 2023Harper's Bazaar story describes her as "quiet and contemplative",[12] whileVanity Fair wrote that she has a "black-hole persona" but is "much warmer and more cheerful than you'd expect".[185] Ortega stated that the media's public persona of her is "not at all" accurate and that she can feel "incredibly misunderstood".[186] Ortega has been noted for her work in horror and has been described as a horror icon by journalists.[23][187][188] Media publications have dubbed her "Gen Z's scream queen",[a] and theHollywood Foreign Press Association called her the "scream queen for the 21st century".[194] Ortega attributes her "instinctive" scream and "really ugly crying face" for the positive reception her horror work has received from audiences.[195]
In 2018,The Hollywood Reporter named Ortega one of "Hollywood's Top 30 Stars Under Age 18".[196] The magazine later referred to her as the "Next Big Thing" in 2022 and "The Gen Z Obsession" in 2024.[85][197] In 2023, Ortega appeared onVariety's "Young Hollywood Impact Report", a list of breakthrough performers,[198] andThe Hollywood Reporter'sPower 100, a list of the most powerful women in entertainment.[199]Complex also listed her among the best actors in their 20s.[200]Forbes included her on the 2024 edition of its30 Under 30 in the Hollywood & Entertainment category.[201][202]
Ortega has also been called a style icon byHarper's Bazaar.[203] Her initial red-carpet style featured bright colors, patterned clothing, and many accessories.[204][205] Enrique Melendez, her stylist, dressed Ortega inRED Valentino andThom 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.[206] After her role inYou, Ortega began wearing heavier makeup and darker clothing.[204] Media publications said her later style borrowed from Wednesday's while incorporatinghigh fashion and described it as goth glam.[b] According toVogue, her off-screen style has a "dark, gothic fashion sensibility".[189] Ortega said that playing Wednesday has "changed my taste a lot" and she has "a hard time getting her off of me, at least clothing-wise".[214]
Ortega is active onInstagram but has described social media overall as being a "comparing game" and "very manipulative". She has said she became fearful of her comments on social media being misinterpreted following the release ofWednesday, adding: "Because I naturally tend to be sarcastic or dry, it's very easy for me to find myself in trouble ... [People] see your vulnerability and twist it in a way that you don't always expect."[147][215] As a minor, Ortega was sent explicit images of herself that wereAI-generated, which later led to her deleting herTwitter account.[9][216]
Personal life
Ortega stated that she would like to be a "private person"[9] and not discuss her romantic life publicly, believing that it distracts audiences from her work. She has described the concept ofcelebrity as "absolutely ridiculous".[83] Ortega has said that her friends and family give her a sense of safety that helps her deal with the more challenging parts of her career, adding that her family "keep[s] [her] feet on the ground". She states that growing up in an industry dominated by adults forced her to mature faster than normal.[178]
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