Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega
6.2
Jenna Ortega photo 1 Jenna Ortega photo 2 Jenna Ortega photo 3 Jenna Ortega photo 4
Name:
Jenna Ortega
Real name:
Jenna Marie Ortega
Who is:
actress
Birth date:
(24 y.o.)
Place of birth:
La Quinta, Coachella Valley, California
Height:
5'1 ft ( )
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
( characteristic )
Chinese zodiac:

Photos: Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega Biography

Jenna Ortega is a young American actress who voices Disney princess Isabel in the animated series "Elena of Avalor." She's also known for her roles in "Stuck in the Middle," "Jane the Virgin," "You," "The Fallout," the family comedy "Yes Day," and the 2022 horror film "Scream." She plays Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series "Wednesday", which premiered in November 2022, with Tim Burton as a director and executive producer.
Actress Jenna Ortega
Actress Jenna Ortega

Childhood

Jenna Marie Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, in La Quinta, a resort city in California. She became the fourth child in a Puerto Rican-Mexican family, but not the last – later Jenna got a younger sister Aliyah and little brother Marcus. Her older sisters and brother are named Mariah, Isaac, and Mia.

The Mexican heritage in the actress's family tree comes from her father's side. However, he was born in the US and doesn't even speak Spanish, though the family respects Mexican traditions, especially the cuisine. Jenna's mom is Puerto Rican. Her grandmother (Jenna's great-grandmother) was an undocumented immigrant. Jenna's parents met at a very young age, fell in love immediately, and got married. Both dreamed of having a big family – and that's exactly what happened.
Jenna Ortega with her family
Jenna Ortega with her family
The family was large but far from dysfunctional. Jenna's father always supported her endeavors, as did her mom, Natalie Ortega, who raised six children and became their role model. It was thanks to her efforts that Jenna broke into the film industry. Natalie recorded a video with her and posted it on social media, where a family friend saw it and showed it to a casting agent he knew.
Jenna Ortega as a child
Jenna Ortega as a child
The agent liked Jenna's natural talent, but the big screen was still far away: "We don't know what you're capable of, so first we'll shoot some commercials and see how well you do," he told her.
Little Jenna in a Colgate commercial

First Roles

Jenna made her film debut in 2012, landing her first role as Amy Moore in "CSI: NY." The following year, in 2013, she scored a small part in the finale of the "Iron Man" trilogy and played Annie in James Wan's "Insidious: Chapter 2."
Jenna Ortega in the movie 'Insidious: Chapter 2'
Jenna Ortega in the movie 'Insidious: Chapter 2'
By 2014, Jenna had already appeared in six films. Among them was the comedy series "Jane the Virgin," where she played the main character as a child.
Jenna Ortega on the set of the TV series 'Jane the Virgin'
Jenna Ortega on the set of the TV series 'Jane the Virgin'
With her incredibly driven personality, Jenna always pushed herself to excel: at 13, she set her sights on becoming either the first female president or an astronaut, diving deep into research about how to achieve these goals. While those teenage dreams eventually took a backseat, her habit of studying everything thoroughly stuck around and became invaluable in her work.

One of the biggest challenges the teenage actress faced was finding balance between filming and her personal life.
I once tried to help my good friend become homecoming queen. She won, but I couldn't be there to see it happen.
This really upset Jenna. At 14, the young actress started keeping a notebook where she'd write down skincare and hair tips from the makeup artists and hairstylists she worked with, thinking that taking better care of herself might help her feel a little better. This interest grew into a lifestyle and eventually led to her partnership with skincare company Neutrogena.
Jenna Ortega in a Neutrogena commercial
Jenna Ortega in a Neutrogena commercial

Acting Career

In 2016, Disney Channel premiered the animated series "Elena of Avalor", in which Ortega voiced Princess Isabel, Elena's sister. That same year, the channel launched the comedy series "Stuck in the Middle," in which Ortega played Harley Diaz – the main character.
Jenna Ortega and Princess Isabel, whom she voiced
Jenna Ortega and Princess Isabel, whom she voiced
The character was largely autobiographical. Like Jenna, Harley grew up in a large family, and her relationships with her parents and six siblings took center stage in the storytelling. The wholesome family series ran for three seasons.
Jenna Ortega in the TV series Stuck in the Middle
Jenna Ortega in the TV series Stuck in the Middle
In 2018, the actress participated in voicing the animated film "Big City Greens." She then starred as Dawn in the elephant rescue movie "Saving Flora" and played Ellie Alves, one of the main characters in the thriller "You."
Jenna Ortega in the movie Saving Flora
Jenna Ortega in the movie Saving Flora
From 2019 to 2021, eight more films featuring her were released, and 2021 brought the young actress work in director Miguel Arteta's family comedy "Yes Day," where Jenna, playing Katie Torres, shared the screen with Jennifer Garner and Edgar Ramirez.
Jenna Ortega in the movie Yes Day
Jenna Ortega in the movie Yes Day
About working with famous actors in this film, the actress said in an interview:
I had been looking up to Jennifer Garner and Edgar Ramirez for so long... So the opportunity to call them mom and dad was so amazing that I couldn't pass it up. The moments I treasure most were during downtime when we all opened up to each other.
Ortega played Tara Carpenter in "Scream", released in 2022. She also played Vada Cavell, the central character of "The Fallout".
Jenna Ortega in the movie Scream
Jenna Ortega in the movie Scream
Her 2022 screen work included the films "X" and "American Carnage", as well as the Netflix series "Wednesday".
Jenna Ortega in the movie American Carnage
Jenna Ortega in the movie American Carnage
In "Wednesday", Ortega plays a teenage Wednesday Addams, who investigates mysteries while attending Nevermore Academy.
Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams
Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams
Burton's series also features Christina Ricci (who played Wednesday in the 1991 film "The Addams Family"), Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Luis Guzmán.
Wednesday. Dance Scene
Working on Wednesday's character, Jenna came up with an interesting detail for her heroine – she barely blinks on camera. "I tilt my chin down and look from under my brows, while keeping my face completely relaxed." The hardest part, the actress admits, was making her braids perfectly symmetrical. Sometimes the director wasn't satisfied with the stylists' work and would personally comb Jenna's hair, strand by strand.

Jenna Ortega's Personal Life

Jenna Ortega isn't married and doesn't have children. Internet rumors suggest she dated singer Jacob Sartorius in 2017 and actor Asher Angel in 2018.
Jenna Ortega and Jacob Sartorius
Jenna Ortega and Jacob Sartorius
You can't really call the actress a social media fanatic. She believes walks and nature are the best forms of relaxation, while obsessing over your appearance and posting retouched photos on social media isn't worth it.

She loves what she does, values her family above all else, and fights racial injustice within her means and abilities.
Jenna Ortega on a walk with friends
Jenna Ortega on a walk with friends
Jenna's involved in charity work and enjoys music, painting, and writing: "I love writing. I write all the time, I'll write about anything. Essays or scripts, it doesn't matter, but it's a great way to unwind," she told Byrdie magazine.

The actress hates cold weather and absolutely loves flowers and animals. She shares her home with three dogs: Anna, Kylo, and Brooklyn.

Jenna Ortega Now

Jenna Ortega's at the peak of her popularity right now, and you've got to hand it to her – this girl knows how to seize the moment. The rising star isn't about to rest on her "Wednesday" laurels and is methodically building her career like a chess master plotting their next move. Her goal's simple: lock down a spot in Hollywood's A-list. And to do that, she needs more than just blockbuster appearances – she's taking on complex roles that showcase her acting chops in all their glory.

Take "Miller's Girl" – the psychological thriller that dropped in winter 2024. The story revolves around a forbidden relationship between high schooler Cairo Sweet and her literature teacher. Jenna's character is a lonely rich girl who whiles away her days in her parents' mansion somewhere in the Tennessee backwoods while mom and dad jet around the world on business. Cairo feels like a wallflower who hasn't accomplished anything in life, finding her only outlet in writing.
Jenna Ortega in a white sweater sits at a desk during class with a focused expression
Jenna Ortega in "Miller's Girl"
Jenna's co-star was seasoned British actor Martin Freeman.

Winter Spring Summer or Fall had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Festival. Directed by Tiffany Paulsen, it follows Remy, played by Ortega, and Barnes, played by Percy Hynes White, as they fall in love over the course of a year. Ortega's earlier work also includes the Disney comedy series Stuck in the Middle; her career has not been confined to horror.
Jenna Ortega and Percy Hynes White in close-up with a fair in the background
Scene from "Winter Spring Summer or Fall"
What's more – Ortega also produced the film. On screen, she was paired again with Percy Hynes White from "Wednesday."

But the year's real ace in the hole was, of course, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" from Tim Burton. The film opened the Venice Film Festival in late August, and Jenna put on a real fashion show. Her scarlet Christian Dior dress with a heart-shaped corset and full skirt was a direct nod to Winona Ryder's wedding gown from the original 1988 "Beetlejuice."
Jenna Ortega in a red dress with an open back and heart detail on the chest, collage of two photos
Jenna Ortega and her Dior dress at the Venice Film Festival
The skirt was sheer, and the actress wore red shorts underneath. At the premiere, the audience gave a three-minute standing ovation, and Jenna, sparkling in that very red Dior gown, took the applause like a full-fledged franchise star.

Worth special attention is "Death of a Unicorn" starring Paul Rudd. In this dark "horror comedy," Jenna plays Ridley Kintner – a teenager living with her widowed father. The plot thickens when her dad takes her along to a business meeting with pharmaceutical moguls, the Leopolds. The family patriarch is dying of cancer, and Ridley's father hopes to secure a partnership with the company.
Actress Jenna Ortega peeks out from behind a tree, wearing a pink sweater
Frame from the film "Death of a Unicorn"
On the way there, they hit... a unicorn. Yes, a real one! Jenna's character mystically connects with the dying creature in a pretty psychedelic scene. The New York Times critic called Ortega's performance one of the film's main strengths, noting that she brings emotional depth to the story.

By the way, Jenna doesn't limit herself to just movies. In August 2024, she appeared in Sabrina Carpenter's killer music video for "Taste." The video channels the cult classic "Death Becomes Her" – two girls fighting over a guy and killing each other in the most elaborate ways, paying homage to horror classics. The ending is absolutely brilliant: the girlfriends realize their ex is a total loser and decide they're better off teaming up against him. Fans of both stars went absolutely wild.
Jenna Ortega in Sabrina Carpenter's music video
The second season of "Wednesday" was released on Netflix in two parts: August 6 and September 3, 2025.
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