Jenna Ortega has opened up about the personal cost of her rapid rise to stardom following the success of Netflix’s Wednesday, describing the aftermath as emotionally draining and creatively frustrating. In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the actress said the experience left her deeply unhappy, even as the show brought her global recognition.
Ortega’s portrayal of Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday earned her widespread praise. In fact, she just about became a household name. But behind the scenes, Ortega says the sudden fame had a significant impact on her well-being.
Wednesday Adams played by Jenna Ortega in the trailer for Wednesday Season 2 – YouTube, Netflix
“I was an unhappy person,” she told Harper’s Bazaar. “I didn’t feel like myself, and I didn’t know how to handle the pressure.”
Struggles With Public Perception and Creative Limits
Ortega cited a lack of creative agency and the constant scrutiny of public attention as key contributors to her dissatisfaction. According to the interview, she struggled with the expectations placed on her, both professionally and personally. “When people think they know you, they’re quick to project onto you,” she said. “I felt I couldn’t speak up or express discomfort without being seen as difficult.”
She also commented on the way her image was being presented in the media, particularly referencing her character’s costume.
Wednesday Adams played by Jenna Ortega in the trailer for Wednesday Season 2 – YouTube, Netflix
“There’s something very patronizing about being seen in the schoolgirl costume,” she said. “It doesn’t reflect who I am.” Ortega didn’t specify whether this discomfort stemmed from the role itself or the way the character was portrayed and marketed after the show’s release, but she made it clear the dissonance between her public image and personal identity was a source of unease.
Since then, Ortega has made moves to regain control of her career trajectory. She is taking on a more hands-on role in the development of Wednesday Season 2, working closely with director Tim Burton and being directly involved in key creative decisions, including casting. In a recent interview with The Cut, Ortega confirmed that the second season would lean more into horror and steer away from the romantic subplot that drew criticism in season one.
New Projects Reflect Career Shift
In addition to her continued work on Wednesday, Ortega has been branching out into new projects that mark a deliberate shift in tone and genre. She stars in the films Death of a Unicorn, a surreal dark comedy produced by A24, and Hurry Up Tomorrow, a psychological thriller. Both films signal a desire to explore more complex and unconventional roles, a contrast to the gothic teen archetype she became associated with following Wednesday.
In other words, it seems likely that Jenna Ortega is aware that she’s been typecast.
Ortega’s comments are the latest in a growing number of public statements she has made about her discomfort with certain industry dynamics. In 2023, she made headlines for revealing she had rewritten several of her lines on Wednesday to better suit the character’s personality—an unusual move for a young lead actor. At the time, her remarks sparked debate about artistic control and the challenges faced by actors who seek a stronger voice in the creative process.
Despite the backlash from some quarters, Jenna Ortega has continued to advocate for herself behind the scenes. Her decision to step away from the Scream franchise, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts with Wednesday, also suggested a shift in priorities toward projects that align more closely with her evolving interests and values.
The Addams Family in the trailer for Wednesday Season 2 – YouTube, Netflix
For now, Ortega remains at the center of one of Netflix’s most-watched series while also carving out space for a career beyond it. With production on Wednesday Season 2 underway and several new films on the horizon, she appears to be navigating her path forward with a more deliberate approach—and greater control over how she is seen, both on and off screen.
What do you think of these comments by Jenna Ortega? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
I know people can have problems dealing with suddenly being rich and famous and having people fawn over you.
I remember how Sia (the singer) basically became a recluse who wouldn’t show her face any more due to media attention.
When she did appear she wore wigs with really long bangs or found other ways to cover her face, like veils.
Still, the other half of me says “You have won the brass ring, quit your bitching!” To me the complaints of not having create control also ring hollow. You weren’t hired to be creative in that way, you were hired to ACT. Now that may mean advocating for making sure the character you portray is being properly treated by the actual creative staff, but unless it’s in the contract that you have some power to change scripts any alterations are purely made out of courtesy.
So sit down and shut up while you count your blessings. I’ll be over here trying to figure out how I am going to pay for a critical bill that keeps my POS car running and reheating my Hamburger Helper from the other night for dinner.
I feel so bad for her…
I felt that drip of sarcasm on my shoulder.
Then maybe the pig’ll stop bloviating about her so called personal trespasses. What an oxygen thief.
Cry me a river, go see if Burger King is hiring…