Jenna Ortega reveals the emotional toll of Wednesday’s success, feeling misunderstood, and why playing a schoolgirl feels “patronizing” in her candid Harper’s Bazaar interview.
Jenna Ortega is getting real about the pressures of fame following the massive success of Netflix’s Wednesday.
In a candid new interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the 21-year-old actress revealed that despite the global acclaim, the aftermath of the show left her feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, and — in her own words — “an unhappy person.”
Ortega said the sudden rise to global stardom was a lot to handle. Although she’s been acting since childhood, Wednesday launched her into a whole new level of fame. The show became Netflix’s most-watched English-language series ever, with a whopping 252.1 million views — far surpassing Stranger Things 4.
“To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person,” Ortega admitted. “The pressure, the attention — as somebody who’s quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary.”
The spotlight also brought social media criticism and intense scrutiny. Ortega said she felt “incredibly misunderstood” and found herself on the “wrong side of the rumor mill.” She added, “I feel like being a bully is very popular right now.”
While she’s grateful for the show’s impact and the chance to develop new interests — like learning cello and exploring a more gothic style — Ortega shared her frustrations with being typecast.
Playing a high schooler for years, while growing into adulthood in real life, has been limiting. “There’s just something very patronizing about being dressed in the schoolgirl costume,” she said.
She also pointed out the struggles women face in the public eye, especially child stars transitioning into adult roles. “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.’”
To break away from being boxed in, Ortega quickly signed on to a variety of new, edgier film projects like A24’s Death of a Unicorn, Hurry Up Tomorrow with The Weeknd, Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun, and The Gallerist alongside Natalie Portman.
She’s now focused on finding balance — making choices that satisfy both her fans and her own creative spirit. “I want to be able to give back to [my fans]. But I also want to do things that are creatively fulfilling to me,” she explained. “Older and bolder and different.”
Despite the struggles, Ortega remains grateful. “You’re watching these women at the most pivotal times in their lives; they’re experimenting because that’s what you do,” she said. “I just want to be taken seriously.”
Wednesday Season 2 premieres in two parts on Netflix: Part 1 drops August 6 and Part 2 lands September 3.
