In May 2021, Jenna Ortega was cast as the iconic Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s comedy-horror hit Wednesday.
Ortega was only 18 years old when filming began and had already built a solid resume with shows like Stuck in the Middle
and Scream.
However, it was Wednesday
that truly launched her into widespread fame. Ortega became a Golden Globe, SAG, and Emmy Award nominee for the role and transformed into a global superstar—yet she now revealed a shocking truth about the impact Wednesday
had on her life.
Jenna Ortega has revealed the strange future this role has created for her—one she never imagined or expected to be part of.
Jenna Ortega reveals being dragged into a reality she never signed up for
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Jenna Ortega
opened up about the strange reality of becoming so closely tied to Wednesday Addams. At just 22, she is still trying to navigate who she is outside of the character. Ortega pointed out the irony of portraying an outsider who has become a global pop-culture icon—and how, in the process, she herself has been swept into the world of mainstream fame, admitting, “So, in a strange way, I feel like I’ve become a pop actor,”
something she never envisioned for her own career.
Jenna Ortega talks about the impact of ‘Wednesday’:
“Wednesday is an outcast and an outsider, but she’s also a pop-culture icon. So, in a strange way, I feel like I’ve become a pop actor, if that makes sense. And that’s something I never saw for myself.” pic.twitter.com/kILHByGRd4
— Wednesday (@WednesdaysDaily) May 29, 2025
Juggling back-to-back film projects helped Jenna Ortega reconnect with her craft and “feel like an actor again.”
When she does catch a break, though rare, Ortega dives into new creative outlets, like painting, which she found both thrilling and terrifying. To manage the whirlwind of fame and pressure, she has embraced Transcendental Meditation, using it to ease anxiety and start her mornings with calm, even if she still wrestles with indecision. Speaking of anxiety, Ortega also revealed how, despite Wednesday’s
massive success, she often felt “unhappy.”
After season one of Wednesday,
Jenna Ortega admitted she felt overwhelmed and unsettled as she struggled to manage the intense pressure and sudden fame that came with her breakout role.
Jenna Ortega’s struggle behind the spotlight of Wednesday
In the same interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Jenna Ortega honestly shared that after the first season of Wednesday
, she struggled with feeling “unhappy”
while trying to navigate the intense pressure and attention. She explained that, “as somebody who’s quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary.”
Now stepping into a producer role on the show, Ortega is excited to learn and grow behind the scenes, gradually finding her confidence in this new creative space.
Jenna Ortega felt ‘unhappy’ after Wednesday success#JennaOrtega #Wednesday #Netflix #Showbiz #Entertainment #CelebrityNews #Celebrities #WednesdayAddams pic.twitter.com/WfIYhPOHlW
— BANG Showbiz (@BANGShowbiz) May 29, 2025
Jenna Ortega also hinted that season two of Wednesday
will be larger in scale, more daring, and darker, yet with a fun, quirky edge. She expressed her excitement about filming in Ireland after moving from Romania, praising Dublin’s beauty and the warmth of the cast and crew. Ortega also shared a Wednesday Addams quality she admires and hopes to adopt
. Just as Wednesday
launched her career, it also placed her in an unexpected future she never imagined.
Read More: Millie Bobby Brown vs. Jenna Ortega: Who Is the Biggest Star Helming Netflix?
What do you think about Jenna Ortega’s revelation? Let us know in the comments below!