Jenna Ortega is a young American actress, who gave her voice to the Disney princess Isabel in the animated series "Elena from Avalor". She is also known for the films "Escape with Fiona", "Virgin Jane", "You", "Stuck in the Middle", "Consequences", the family comedy "Yes Day" and the horror film "Scream-5", released in 2021. In 2022, she was approved for the role of Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton’s series of the same name.
Jenna Ortega
Childhood
Jenna Marie Ortega was born on September 27, 2002 in La Quinta (Coachella Valley), a resort town in California. She became the fourth child in a Puerto Rican-Mexican family, but not the last – after Jenna came her younger sister Aliyah and brother Marcus. Her older siblings are named Mariah, Isaac and Mia.
Jenna Ortega with family
The actress gets Mexican blood from her father's side. Yet the man was born in the USA and doesn’t even speak Spanish, although Mexican traditions, especially culinary ones, are respected in their family. Jenna's parents met at a very young age, immediately fell in love with each other and got married. Both dreamed of a big family – and that’s just what they got.
Jenna Ortega in childhood
The family was large, but not disadvantaged at all. Jenna's father has always supported her endeavors. Her Mom, Natalie Ortega, raised six children and became their role model of a powerful woman. It was thanks to her efforts that Jenna made her way into cinema. Natalie recorded a video with her daughter and posted it on social media, where a family friend saw it and showed it to a casting agent buddy of his.
Jenna Ortega in Colgate Kids commerical
The agent liked Jenna's artistry, but it was still far from a big movie: "We don't know what you're capable of, so first we'll shoot commercials and see how well you do," he said.
First roles
In 2012, Jenna starred in a movie for the first time. Her debut was the role of Aimee Moore in the TV series "CSI: NY". Then, in 2013, she played a small role in the finale of the Iron Man trilogy and played Annie in James Wan's Astral: Chapter 2.
Jenna as Annie in Astral: Chapter 2
In 2014, 6 films were released in which Jenna took part. Among them is the comedy series "Jane the Virgin", where the girl played the main character as a child.
On Jane the Virgin set
Possessing a rather purposeful character, Jenna always aspired to be the best: at the age of 13, having decided to become the first female president or astronaut, she made every effort to dig up info on how to achieve this. Over time, the teenage dream faded away, but the habit of studying everything thoroughly remained and became indispensable in her work.
One of the main problems faced by a teenage girl was the lack of balance between filming and personal life:
One time, I was trying to get my good friend voted to be the queen of the school dance. She won, but I couldn't be there to see it happen.
It was very upsetting for Jenna. At the age of 14, the young actress started a diary in which she wrote down the answers to questions of makeup artists and hairdressers about skin and hair care, thinking that taking care of herself would make her feel a little better. This hobby turned into a lifestyle and pushed her to partner with the company Neutrogena, which produces care cosmetics.
The actress in Neutrogena ad
Acting career
In 2016, the animated series "Elena – Princess Avalora" premiered on the Disney Channel, in which Jenna voiced a brave princess imprisoned in a magical amulet by an evil sorceress. The same year, the channel released the comedy series "Stuck in the Middle", in which Ortega portrayed Harley Diaz – the main character.
Jenna Ortega gave the voice to Isabel
In many ways, the character was autobiographical. Like Jenna, Harley grew up in a large family, and relationships with her parents and six siblings were the centerpiece of the plot. The kind family series lasted three seasons.
Jenna Ortega in Stuck in the Middle
In 2018, the actress took part in the dubbing of the animated film "Big City Greens". Then she starred as Dawn in the film about the rescue of the elephant Fiona "Saving Fiona" and played Ellie Elvis, one of the main characters of the thriller "You".
Jenna Ortega in Saving Fiona
From 2019 to 2021, 8 more films with her participation were released, and in 2021, the young actress got a job in the family comedy directed by Miguel Arteta "Yes Day", in which Jenna playing the role of Katie Torres starred on the same set with Jennifer Garner and Edgar Ramirez.
A snapshot from Yes Day
In an interview, the actress said the following about working with these famous actors:
I’ve looked up to Jennifer Garner and Edgar Ramírez for such a long time, so the opportunity to call them Mom and Dad just sounded like an amazing one that I couldn’t pass up. Jennifer would bring up stories about things she learned when she was growing up in the industry and relate them back to me or would say, like, ‘Oh, you have no idea. You know what this is going to be like, and this is going to be crazy for you.’ And she kind of had a plan for my future, which I thought was funny.
In the same year, two more films with Ortega's participation were released: the horror movie "Scream-5", where she got the role of Tara Carpenter, and "The Fallout", in which Jenna played Vada Cavell – the main character of this social drama.
«The Fallout» star Jenna Ortega on why her character's devastating, emotional journey «does not end»
Personal life of Jenna Ortega
Jenna Ortega is not married. There are rumors on the Internet that in 2017 she dated singer Jacob Sartorius, and in 2018 dated actor Asher Angel.
Jenna Ortega and Jacob Sartorius
The actress can hardly be called a fan of social networks. She believes that long walks and nature are the best ways to relax, and it's not worth the effort caring about how you look and posting retouched photos on social media.
Jenna with friends
She loves what she does, values her family above all else, and also fights racial injustice to the best of her ability.
Jenna is engaged in charity work, is fond of music, painting and writing: "I love to write. I write all the time, I will write about anything. Essays or scripts, it doesn't matter, but it's a great way to relax," she said in an interview with Byrdie media.
The actress does not like the cold and loves flowers and animals very much. Three dogs live in her house: Anna, Kylo and Brooklyn.
Jenna Ortega now
In 2022, three films were released in which Jenna played the main roles: the mystical film "X", the horror film by Diego Hallivis "American Massacre" and the black comedy series by Tim Burton "Wednesday".
In the latter, the actress plays a grown-up Wednesday Addams, who has to learn how to control her magical abilities, solve an old family secret and save her hometown. In addition to Jenna Ortega, Burton's series starred Christina Ricci (who played Wednesday in the 1991 film The Addams Family), Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman.
Jenna Ortega on Her Wednesday Addams Transformation and Working with Tim Burton
