Film & TV

7 Things to Know About Jenna Ortega

Beyond becoming our favorite Wednesday Addams, here are other things to know about the actress.

A woman wearing a black and white blazer suit while smiling to the camera.
Photo: Getty Images.

If you've already binge-watched Netflix's latest hit series Wednesday, then the star of the show Jenna Ortega might be on your mind lately. The young actress gave a jaw-dropping (dare we say Oscar-worthy?) performance as the kooky Wednesday Addams, which the world can't seem to get enough of. For the true Ortega stans, you may already be familiar with the actress as her rise to fame originally began from her many years on Disney Channel. Before going back to binge-watch Wednesday for a second time (or third), here are seven fun things to know about the young starlet.

She was a starring voice actress in the show with Disney's first Latina princess.

A young girl at a recording studio talking into a microphone.
Photo: Getty Images.

The young star doesn't just shine on screen but also knows how to channel her character without the cameras. Before Ortega represented Latina goths, she made moves as a leading voice actress in the Disney series Elena of Avalor which follows the company's first Latina princess. Ortega voiced Isabel, Elena's younger sister. 

She's been acting since she was 8.

A girl sitting in the car holding a paper bag.
Photo: Getty Images.

At 20 years old, Ortega is no novice to the entertainment industry. The Wednesday star has been a working actress for over a decade, with her first role landed at 8 years old. While it wasn't until years later that she would land her breakout role, she gained acting credits in projects such as Iron Man 3, Rake, Jane The Virgin, Richie Rich, and Little Rascals Save The Day

She has five siblings.

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Photo: Getty Images

In Wednesday, the star may come from a family of four, but in reality, she comes from a family of eight. Of six kids, Ortega is the fourth child. Ironically enough, Ortega's breakout role came from her part as Harley Diaz in Disney's Stuck In The Middle which follows her character's ups and downs as the middle child of seven siblings.

She loves to write.

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Photo: Getty Images.

Turns out Wednesday Addams and Ortega have something in common—they love to write. In an interview with Byrdie, the actress reveals that she loves to relax by writing. Whether it's an essay or a script, the young star finds immense pleasure in writing during her pastime.  

She choreographed the dance scene in Wednesday.

A girl in a black dress dancing.
Photo: Netflix

Yes, we're talking about the dance scene in the show. In a video interview with Netflix, Ortega unveiled that she choreographed the three-minute dance scene at the Nevermore Academy Rave'N, where viewers watched the actress bust some serious moves to the song "Goo Goo Muck." "I choreographed that myself and I think it's very obvious that I'm not a dancer or choreographer," she told the interviewer. 

She learned how to fence and play the cello for her role in Wednesday.

A girl playing a violin.
Photo: Imdb.

One of the most unique parts about Ortega's Wednesday was how multifaceted and multitalented she was. Ortega expressed numerous times that she wanted to do the character justice, and one of those ways was by taking fencing and cello lessons. In a behind-the-scenes video released by Netflix, the actress talked about how she went to fencing and cello lessons twice a week in preparation for the show.

"I just want to do her justice so I went to fencing lessons twice a week," Ortega said in the video. "I went to cello lessons twice a week. A big part of it too was just physicality. I would walk like Wednesday. I wanted her to be specific and certain and assertive."

She's rumored to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

A girl in a sheer black dress looking at the camera.
Photo: Getty Images.

Now that we've seen her goth side, it's time to see Ortega's superhero side. While nothing has been confirmed, there is talk that fans may get to see Ortega join the MCU. While she's technically already been in Iron Man 3, the starlet would be set to have a more prominent role in the Daredevil series. If the speculation is true, Ortega would be cast as White Tiger, a well-known ally of Daredevil. 

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