Jenna Ortega’s career has been skyrocketing ever since she was cast as the title role of Netflix's smash hit Wednesday. Along with her stand-out role in the Addams Family spin-off, she also had her role expanded in Scream and she is now part of the cast of Beetlejuice 2. Overall, it's safe to say that she's become quite the star over the last year. However, social media is one of the major prices of fame, and the Netflix star tearfully explained how such websites have negatively impacted her career.
Before Jenna Ortega played Wednesday Addams, she was working “crazy, crazy hours” for Disney Channel in the comedy series Stuck in the Middle. However, getting to star in a hit Netflix series with a huge following has brought her to a new level of popularity. And with that newfound fame also comes the benefits and challenges of social media. While speaking on Variety’s Actors on Actors with The Great’s Elle Fanning, the 20-year-old star explained how social media can negatively impact an actor’s career when it comes to studios comparing one actor to another, saying:
Even after shooting Wednesday, when I was auditioning, they would come to my team: ‘We like her, but we just don’t know if she has enough of a name.’ And social media, what it does to anyone our age, it’s such a comparing game. It influences bandwagon mentality. It’s very manipulative. After the show, I’m really nervous to post or even say anything on there or even be myself because I feel like…
The Scream star didn’t even have to finish her sentence as Elle Fanning stepped in and understood Ortega’s point of things being "misinterpreted online."
Recently, Ortega was under fire when she spoke honestly about changing certain lines on Wednesday that she didn’t agree with. This led to former Daredevil producer Steven S. DeKnight’s lengthy tirade about her comments on Twitter believing she should have trusted the showrunner’s intentions for why certain lines were there. Comments on Ortega's opinion spread like wildfire with others chiming in about why the thought the actress shouldn’t have spoken about the dark comedy’s writers like that.
It’s a real shame for an actress so young to have to worry about what strangers on the internet are saying about her. Jenna Ortega continued to talk about how easy it was to be in trouble with people because of social media. It was clear that social media has deeply impacted her, and has been a real challenge as she got emotional while saying:
Yeah. Because I naturally tend to be sarcastic or dry, it’s very easy for me to find myself in trouble. I want people to be able to get to know the people behind the camera and realize that people should never be put on a pedestal. And the more I’ve been exposed to the world, people prey on that and take advantage of that. They see your vulnerability and twist it in a way that you don’t always expect. [Starts to cry] It’s so strange. Sorry, I didn’t mean to do this.
I really feel for this talented actress. It’s so easy for social media to turn so many people against someone. However, even during tough times, it's still important to remain true to yourself. After receiving backlash, Jenna Ortega felt like she had to put her “foot down” on the ideas that she had for Tim Burton’s Netflix series going forward. She's said she had a positive experience with the people she's worked with and felt comfortable collaborating with them on her vision for Wednesday. Now, with Season 2, she's set to producer, and play a larger role in the creation of the show.
Along with the criticism she's received, the actress also spoke about the challenges of having both her personal and professional life with social media. Jenna Ortega shared the struggles of balancing honesty with safety, saying:
It’s such a hard thing to balance. Because how do you be honest without jeopardizing your own health and safety? It’s very easy to feel almost out of control.
Fortunately, The Fallout actress will get a sense of control back in being one of the executive producers for Wednesday. She explained that Season 2 will be different because they plan to focus more on the horror aspects and tone down the romance so her Addams Family character will be a strong individual.
You can take a look at Jenna Ortega’s talk with Elle Fanning in this Twitter video below.
Jenna Ortega starts to cry as she talks to Elle Fanning about how toxic social media can be: "It's such a hard thing to balance. How do you be honest without jeopardizing your own health and safety? It's very easy to feel out of control." https://t.co/MqDrkNvpc6 pic.twitter.com/mb4L1q2RVvJune 7, 2023
Social media is not always a friend to people in the entertainment business like Jenna Ortega. However, while it's challenging, and has taken its toll on her, as she explained, she also seems to have a good handle on it, and has found a balance.
You can watch her starring role in Wednesday right now with a Netflix subscription. Also, make sure you are ahead of the game by checking out Netflix’s TV premiere dates so you’ll know when you can expect season two to premiere.
