Jenna Ortega recently talked about her controversial remarks from March 2023 regarding her role in Netflix’s Wednesday. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she admitted she could have phrased things more carefully. She said, “I often ramble, and I think if I had explained things better, people might have understood me more.” Ortega felt that her original comments, where she talked about changing her character’s lines on the show, were misunderstood.
Back in March 2023, Ortega appeared on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast and shared that many of the scripts for Wednesday didn’t make sense to her. She mentioned that she made some changes to the dialogue without consulting the writers, saying, “I don’t think I’ve ever had to stand my ground as much as I did on this set.” She felt that some of the scripted lines, like a subplot about a love triangle, didn’t fit her character at all.
Ortega also described a specific instance where she changed a line about a dress for a school dance. The original line, which included excitement followed by self-loathing, didn’t feel right for her character, so she altered it. This led to confusion with the script supervisor, as she had to explain why she couldn’t perform certain scenes as they were written.
Her comments sparked backlash from writers, who were already feeling frustrated and went on strike two months later. Many took to social media to criticize Ortega, calling her “toxic” and “entitled.” Some even carried signs saying, “Without writers, Jenna Ortega will have nothing to punch up!”
Now 21, Ortega has learned to accept that she can’t please everyone. She acknowledged that seeing herself everywhere last year made her feel overwhelmed and that it’s okay if some people don’t like her. She admitted, “I was sick of seeing myself constantly, so I get it if others were too.”
Looking ahead, Ortega is a producer on the upcoming second season of Wednesday, where she has the opportunity to provide feedback. Executive producer Tim Burton praised her for being “very direct, no-nonsense, and artistic,” even suggesting she could potentially direct the series herself. The second season of Wednesday is set to premiere on Netflix in 2025.
