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Jenna Ortega © NBC

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Why Jenna Ortega misses life before fame: 'It was all so exciting'

"I hold so much more pressure and weight in my body than I ever did," she confessed.


Daniel Neira
Senior Writer
MAY 2, 2025 1:52 PM EDT

Jenna Ortega is opening up her successful journey in the entertainment industry. The 'X' actress, who started her career at a very young age, revealed that it was not until her role in 'Wednesday' that she felt a shift in her life, including the whirlwind transformation that came with fame.

Despite her passion for film, Jenna admitted to V Magazine that she misses the quiet days before the spotlight found her. The 22-year-old actress looked back on her incredible rise to fame, crediting her breakout role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s fan-favorite show, as the moment everything changed.

Breaking Barriers: Latina Actresses Redefining Hollywood Representation© Provided
Jenna Ortega captivated the world with her portrayal as "Wednesday."

"Oh, most definitely," she replied when asked if she ever misses the anonymity she had earlier in her career. "I mean, that was just a few years ago. I’d done some shows and was working in film, but it wasn’t until that show, the day of the week [Wednesday], that just catapulted everything."

Jenna Ortega attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party © Karwai Tang
Jenna Ortega attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Jenna described Wednesday as a “dream role," but admitted there was something special about the early years of her career. "As grateful as I am, and it was a dream role, it was so nice to have had way less pressure. I love the hustle," she said.

Jenna Ortega attends the UK Premiere of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" © Dave Benett
Jenna Ortega attends the UK Premiere of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"

"There’s something about the actor’s come-up and struggle that I really enjoyed," she continued. "Sleeping in the cars, driving all around LA for auditions, and waiting for weeks, feeling sick to my stomach that I wasn’t going to get the job I really wanted. The adrenaline rush of it all was so exciting."

Jenna Ortega at the "Death of a Unicorn" Premiere © SXSW Conference & Festivals via
Jenna Ortega at the "Death of a Unicorn" Premiere

But now, with success, she explained that there is a different kind of pressure. "I don’t know if it’s common, or if you can relate to this, but it kind of feels like you’re perpetually in this loop of anxiety," she shared with The Weeknd during the joint interview.

Jenna Ortega attends the Global Premiere of Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group's "Scream VI" © Slaven Vlasic
Jenna Ortega attends the Global Premiere of Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group's "Scream VI"

"I hold so much more pressure and weight in my body than I ever did, and I think it’s just kind of the expectation of it all," she revealed. Jenna is now booked and busy, with multiple projects on the line this year, including a new movie with Glen Powell, which is set to be filmed in London this summer.

Jenna Ortega at the 81 Venice International Film Festival© Mondadori Portfolio
Jenna Ortega at the 81 Venice International Film Festival

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