What Connects Jenna Ortega to Wednesday Addams and How She Landed that Role
Prior to the series "Wednesday," Jenna Ortega was regarded as a promising actress, but upon its release, she metamorphosed into a bona fide superstar. To discover the perfect heroine, the creators of the show auditioned a myriad of contenders for the role of the "quintessential Addams" - the silent Gothic queen. Their diligent efforts were bountifully rewarded - Jenna seamlessly slipped into the character, unveiling its complexity. This success is not a serendipitous stroke of luck, but a logical progression of her extensive career.
Because She Conveys Emotion Through Her Eyes...
Since childhood, Jenna was drawn towards the macabre: she dissected deceased animals she found in the streets, and at 15, she could endlessly pore over Stephen King's "It." Ortega herself states that there exists an unseen thread connecting her with "monsters and other creatures," as these elements have fascinated and appealed to her from a young age.
Jenna Ortega in the series Wednesday
Not only does the actress resonate with her character Wednesday Addams in this aspect: when shaping her character, the intent was not to depict her as a typical introverted teenager, but as a fearless and intelligent girl who never apologizes and is self-assured. Perhaps this is why Tim Burton, who directed the first four episodes and served as the series' producer, selected Ortega, lauding her as a "silent film actress" capable of conveying emotions through her eyes.
Jenna Ortega in her childhood
Jenna auditioned remotely, amidst her commitments to the project "X," so much so that she didn't even have time to remove her makeup: her hair was laden with stage blood and glycerin sweat, her face adorned with a large gash, and she had been awake for more than 24 hours. Perhaps it was these circumstances that proved decisive - the director highly commended her performance, noting that she beautifully embodied the role. During the filming in Romania, the actress spent several months mastering the cello and learning not to blink - Burton instructed her to behave as if she had a cup of tea on her head, making people think she was a mannequin.
80's Gothic Dances and Passion for Horror
The infamous Wednesday dance, which virally swept across the internet at lightning speed, was choreographed by Jenna herself, just a week before filming. She drew inspiration from British post-punk and 1980s gothic dances. This marked her debut as a choreographer.
Incidentally, on the day of filming, she woke up with cold symptoms but didn't take a day off from work. During breaks between takes, she was given medication, and later, it transpired that she had contracted the coronavirus. Wednesday Addams Dance Scene Indeed, Wednesday is not her only venture into such a genre - she was 11 when she landed her first role and doesn't plan to stop anytime soon. She considers horror films as therapy that helps to alleviate accumulated stress, pointing out that she is generally fearless. Which seems apt, as the informed say that to produce a real spectacle, one must confront fear head-on.
Discover more about Jenna Ortega's life and artistic journey in her biography on zoomboola.com.
