Jenna Ortega nearly quit acting before landing breakout role on Netflix’s 'You'
The Netflix teen thriller role convinced her there was no way to quit
Jenna Ortega has opened up about a pivotal moment early in her career, revealing she nearly walked away from acting before being cast as Ellie Alves on season 2 of Netflix’s You.
The 23-year-old told Kid Cudi on his Big Bro podcast that she had been seriously considering stepping back while transitioning from child roles to more mature projects.
“It just felt like a good time to call it quits if I was going to. We had talked about it for a few months with my team. And then I booked You… and I had the best time. There’s no way I could let this go,” Ortega said.
Before You, Ortega was best known for playing a young Jane on Jane the Virgin and Harley Diaz on Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle.
Landing the role of Ellie Alves marked a significant turning point, allowing her to break into more mature and dramatic roles.
“When I was a teenager, I’d gotten off a children’s show, and I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Ortega recalled. “I had to prove myself and meet all these new casting directors who didn’t know who I was.”
Following her breakout on You, Ortega gained wider recognition as the titular character on Netflix’s Wednesday, solidifying her status as a rising star.
She also earned scream queen credentials with appearances in the slasher films Scream and Scream VI, though she exited the franchise prior to Scream 7.
Ortega’s recent projects include the fantasy comedy-horror Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow, and comedy-horror Death of a Unicorn.
Her latest film, the comedy-thriller The Gallerist, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and opened in theaters in January.
Season 3 of Wednesday is currently in production, with Winona Ryder joining the cast.
