Jenna Ortega has been enjoying the limelight after starring in Netflix’s hit series Wednesday, but she has revealed she initially rejected the role several times before signing on.
The supernatural comedy horror series from Tim Burton centers on a young Wednesday Addams as she experiences the growing pains of high school.
The popular show beat Stranger Things for the most amount of streaming hours watched in its first week on Netflix. It has quickly become the second most watched English-language show in the platform’s history.
Ortega’s dance scene in the fourth episode has become so popular that fans around the world, including Lady Gaga, have created their own versions on TikTok.
Now, Ortega – who appeared on this weekend’s Saturday Night Live – has revealed she initially turned down the role.
When asked by the UK’s Times if she initially agreed to star in the Netflix series when approached, Ortega said: “No, I didn’t. I got the email, passed on it. I had done so much TV in my life, all I’ve ever wanted to do is film.
“I was scared that by signing on to another television show it could prevent me from doing other jobs I really wanted and cared about.”
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The actress revealed she only agreed to join the production since director and exec producer Tim Burton was at the helm.
“Tim is such a legend, and we just happened to get along very well. But even then I said, ‘Ah, no — I think I’m OK,’ a couple [more] times.”
Ortega, who was formerly a child star on the Disney Channel, has mostly landed roles in horror shows ever since. She has appeared in Insidious: Chapter 2, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, American Carnage, You Season 2 and most recently, Scream VI.
Many now refer to her as her generation’s “scream queen.”
She told the Times:
“For some reason people see my face and want to throw blood on it … I don’t know what it is. I’ve had a horror director tell me once my eyes looked like they could be very innocent. It was never intentional, but it’s really fun.”
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