The Ambivert Mind of Jenna Ortega

By: Kamilyah McMiller

When we think of famous actors or actresses, we believe that all of them are extroverted and outgoing individuals because how else did they get their roles? However, many hide themselves well to make their audience (and fans) believe in their persona. One of those secret introverts is Jenna Marie Ortega, and that's no flaw. In a world full of extroverts, we need the ones who stay to themselves to create a balance of diversity and understanding, especially in the Hollywood world.     

Ortega has been known for many of her roles, such as in Jane The Virgin, Disneys’ Stuck In The Middle, Scream VI, Netflix’s Wednesday and her upcoming feature in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. All of these films have created a variety of characterization for Ortega to craft herself into. During her filming as Tara Carpenter in “Scream VI”, she claimed that she truly only has a small cluster of friends. She only associates with her castmates during filming because she feels that she “has to” to play the part of being an actress and would film in her backyard if she could (Elle Magazine). Ortega also mentions that she often questions whether filming is worth it to her because she dislikes the spotlight of these films and doesn’t want others to hinder or critique her life decisions.    

In “Wednesday”, Ortega plays herself best since she barely speaks (or smiles!) during the series.  She only has three characters, Enid, Tyler, and Xavier that she acquaints throughout the show. The Wednesday character has always been an introvert and a victim of social awkwardness, even when played by Christina Ricci in The Addams Family (1991). So, this role received the perfect actress because that’s exactly Ortega in real life (minus the family-friendly toxic activities). 

Even though she has a pretty reserved personality, Ortega has found that she can connect more when her co-stars are older than her. According to her interview with Fox News, she believes they can understand her more on a level of “protection” and “empathy”.  Which can become slightly difficult with individuals her age. For instance, Ortega looks up to her Beetlejuice Beetlejuice co-stars, Winona Ryder and Monica Bellucci because they’ve flourished in fame for decades, and can become a guide for other young actresses that want to become successful. With Ortega becoming an actress at age 9,  it’s hard to navigate what's best for a career.  In fact, who can blame her for going to the older generation when they offer more endearment and support than the younger generation? Especially if they're Ryder and Bellucci.  

Ortega hasn’t always been an independent introvert, during her first acting audition days she was the “extrovert” of her family (Fox News). She would willingly go to various auditions with her mother and felt that she could be herself in front of the acting committees. However, she decided to step back from that personality because Hollywood hesitantly forced her to. Ortega noted that it was “overwhelming” and it was hard to trust mentors because she wasn’t sure if they wanted her to succeed or were jealous of her talents.  

Similarly to other Hollywood child stars, Ortega often thinks of nostalgia and how “normal” her life would be if she stayed in her hometown. She believes she would have different values and thoughts, and even her self-esteem would be better if she never started acting (Fox News). Ortega has said that especially when she re-watches herself in Wednesday, she’s very hard on herself because sometimes she doesn’t like what she sees and tries to conquer her fears of self-idealization on camera. 

Balancing childhood or wanting to be an actor sounds risky because you never know what could happen. You could hit a peak or become “non-existent” at any time throughout your career. All of the fame can present a change in personality or a self-like feeling that you can’t be yourself anymore because the world is constantly watching your every move. Ortega shares her feelings with Vanity Fair as “very dissociative and alien and out-of-body” as she frequently sees herself as someone else. This created a negative and positive impact on how she adapted to her everyday life on and off the screen.  

So, it’s not always about how much of a “social butterfly” you are, it's about your talent and how you incorporate your passions into your dream career. Celebrities were (and still are) normal people with feelings like us, but you also can’t lose yourself in the process. That’s exactly what Jenna Ortega has confidently shared and continues to do in her future films.