Wednesday actor Jenna Ortega reveals being patronised after the first season: ‘I was an unhappy person’
In a recent interview, Wednesday star Jenna Ortega opened up about the personal toll that came with her breakout Netflix series.
Although Wednesday catapulted Jenna Ortega into global stardom, living in the shadow of her brooding, gothic on-screen persona has had its challenges. In a recent interview, the 22-year-old actor reflected on her rapid rise and the psychological toll it’s taken — especially as someone who tends to keep to herself.
“To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person. After the pressure, the attention — as somebody who's quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary,” Jenna said during an interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine.
One of her ongoing frustrations is how her youthful appearance and costume as a schoolgirl on the show have shaped the public's perception of her. “It's always been really annoying, because you just don't feel like you're being taken seriously. You know, it's like how you're dressed in the schoolgirl costume. There's just something about it that's very patronizing. Also, when you're short, people are already physically looking down on you,” she shared.
Because the series is set in a boarding school and Jenna plays a teenager, many viewers misjudge her age. “I'm doing a show I'm going to be doing for years where I play a schoolgirl. But I'm also a young woman,” she noted.
The double standard in the entertainment industry hasn’t gone unnoticed by Jenna, particularly when comparing how male and female actors are treated as they grow out of teenage roles. “But girls... if they don't stay as this perfect image of how they were first introduced to you, then it's 'Ah, something's wrong. She's changed. She sold her soul.' But you're watching these women at the most pivotal times in their lives; they're experimenting because that's what you do,” she said.
Another source of irritation for Jenna is the way people sometimes dismiss her perspective due to her age. “It really irks me when people say, 'Oh, you don't understand. You're so young. Because if you're not open to the experiences that you're having and you're not willing to learn from your mistakes or reflect on your decisions, you're not going to grow at all. You're choosing to be a bystander,'” she said.
Fortunately, Jenna says her experience has evolved as she takes on a more active role in the show’s production. As a producer on Wednesday Season 2, she’s becoming more involved behind the scenes. “I sit in on meetings and listen and learn. I'm still finding my footing in that area,” she explained.
Last month, streaming giants Netflix dropped a teaser trailer for the highly anticipated second season, revealing its two-part release: Part 1 drops August 6, followed by Part 2 on September 3. The announcement, made fittingly on a Wednesday — included the first official trailer and new stills from the upcoming episodes.
“The most exciting thing is being able to revisit her. Wednesday Addams is one of the coolest characters of all time, so to have gotten the opportunity to play her once was incredible, and then to be able to slip into the costume and tone again, it’s so much fun,” Jenna had said in a statement back then. “She runs circles around everyone that she has a conversation with, so to play someone who’s so much more intelligent than you will ever be, it’s quite funny and strange and enjoyable,” she had added.
Season 2 promises to expand the world of The Addams Family, with new characters joining the fold — including Joanna Lumley as Morticia’s mother, Hester Frump. Additional cast members also include Steve Buscemi, Billie Piper, Frances O’Connor, Thandiwe Newton, Haley Joel Osment, and Lady Gaga, whose role remains a mystery for now.
