Jenna Ortega recently shared that she almost decided to leave acting before getting an important role in the series You. She spoke about this during an appearance on a podcast hosted by Kid Cudi.
Jenna Ortega explained that during her teenage years, she was unsure about her future in acting. After finishing work on a children’s show, she found herself at a stage where she had to prove herself again. She said, “I didn’t know what else I was gonna do. I’ve never really considered anything else, more so recently, just out of sake of curiosity and wanting another life experience.”
She added that she had to meet new casting directors who were not familiar with her work. This made the situation more challenging for her. “It just felt like a good time to call it quits if I was going to.” At that time, she had just started high school and was open to exploring other options. She also mentioned that she discussed this decision “for a few months with my team.”
Things changed in 2019 when she was cast in the second season of You. She played the role of Ellie Alves, a young neighbour of the character Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley. Jenna said that her experience on the set was very positive. “I went on that set, and I loved it and had the best time,” she said. “I thought, ‘Yeah, there’s no way I could let this go.’”
Before this, she had appeared in shows like Jane the Virgin and Stuck in the Middle. After You, her career grew further with roles in films like Scream and Beetlejuice.
Since 2022, she has been playing the lead role in Wednesday, which brought her major recognition and award nominations. She also spoke about taking a four month break recently, which was unusual for her.
Jenna shared, “If I’m sat still for too long or if I don’t have plans or something to look forward to, I kind of drive myself crazy.” She added that although the break felt difficult at first, it helped her understand herself better and reflect on her work and choices.