Jenna Ortega is taking inspiration from an unexpected group of acting coaches: her nieces and nephews. The 24-year-old actress has revealed that watching the youngest members of her family helped her prepare for her role as a solar-powered artificial intelligence companion in the upcoming sci-fi movie “Klara and the Sun.”
Rather than studying traditional robotic movements, Ortega turned to the natural curiosity, awkward coordination, and innocent behavior of toddlers to bring her character, Klara, to life. The result is a performance that promises to show a softer, more playful side of the actress, who has become famous for portraying dark, mysterious characters.
© Getty ImagesDirected by Taika Waititi, “Klara and the Sun” arrives in U.S. theaters on October 23, 2026, with Ortega leading a cast that includes Amy Adams, Natasha Lyonne, Steve Buscemi and Mia Tharia.
How Jenna Ortega's Nieces and Nephews Inspired Her New Character
For Ortega, portraying an artificial intelligence companion wasn't about imitating a machine. It was about understanding how someone might experience the human world for the first time.
Speaking to Vanity Fair in June 2026, the actress explained that she observed her nieces and nephews to better understand their innocent perspective. "It was really interesting, actually, how free and comfortable they were with being naive," Ortega said.
© WireImageShe also noticed how naturally young children approached situations with kindness and forgiveness, qualities that helped inform Klara's personality.
That family-inspired approach helped Ortega develop a character who may possess advanced intelligence but still has plenty to learn about human relationships, emotions, and physical behavior.
The actress previously discussed the unusual preparation during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, explaining that her newborn niece and toddler nephews influenced her performance. "She has this awful blank stare that all babies have," Ortega joked about her niece, describing the innocent confusion that made her such a useful reference for Klara.
Jenna Ortega's Robot Character Moves Like a Toddler
One of the biggest creative decisions behind “Klara and the Sun” was avoiding the stiff, mechanical movements audiences often associate with robots. Waititi wanted the artificial companions to feel believable and emotionally accessible, even when their physical behavior seemed slightly unusual.
In an October 20 interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, the filmmaker explained his approach. "I just wanted them to seem like slightly clumsy toddlers," Waititi said.
© Getty ImagesThat direction gave Ortega room to explore a character who learns through observation rather than someone who behaves like a perfectly programmed machine. The director also emphasized that he and Ortega wanted Klara's personality to remain grounded and natural.
Instead of exaggerating her artificial qualities, the pair focused on making audiences connect with the character's innocence and developing understanding of humanity.
Speaking to Variety at the film's London premiere, Ortega explained that Klara learns by observing the physical world rather than collecting information from the internet. "She's kind of like a toddler in a sense," the actress said, describing her character's approach to learning.
Jenna Ortega Also Borrowed a Funny Habit From a Friend
Her nieces and nephews weren't the only people who influenced Klara's unusual physical mannerisms. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE published October 22, Ortega revealed that a friend's peculiar hand movements also made their way into the movie.
© FilmMagicThe actress explained that her friend sometimes walks with her pinky fingers raised, a habit Ortega found memorable enough to adapt for her character. Instead of copying the gesture exactly, she reversed it, choosing to keep her index fingers raised.
She also drew on Waititi's ideas about sensors inside Klara's body to develop the character's distinctive hand positioning. The small physical details became part of a performance inspired by the people Ortega knows in real life.
In the same interview, she admitted that she wanted to experiment because Klara was unlike the characters she had previously portrayed. "This is a very different character from anything I had played before," Ortega told PEOPLE.
What Is Jenna Ortega's New Movie ‘Klara and the Sun’ About?
Based on Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro's 2021 novel, “Klara and the Sun” tells the story of a solar-powered artificial companion designed to provide friendship to humans. Ortega plays Klara, an older-model artificial friend who spends her days in a store waiting to be chosen.
Despite her unusual behavior, including occasionally standing like a flamingo, Klara possesses an extraordinary ability to observe people and understand their emotions. Her life changes when Josie, a teenage girl played by Mia Tharia, notices something special about her.
Josie's mother, portrayed by Amy Adams, eventually purchases Klara as a companion for her daughter, who is struggling with a mysterious illness. As Klara becomes part of the household, she encounters complicated family relationships, grief, and the emotional challenges of human life.
The story explores what it means to love, care for others, and experience the world through an innocent perspective.
While the film features artificial intelligence, its central themes focus on human connection rather than technological spectacle.
