Jenna Ortega Doesn’t Need to Rely on Horror to Make Her Co-stars Break Down in Tears, Caught Winona Ryder Off-Guard on ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ Set

Jenna Ortega has emerged as one of the rising stars of Hollywood in recent years. Although her most popular role is that of Wednesday Addams in the eponymous Netflix show, she has portrayed numerous other characters in the horror genre. The most recent project that stands as a testament to her phenomenal acting in this genre is the music video for pop star Sabrina Carpenter’s song Taste.

One of Ortega’s most exciting projects is the sequel to the horror classic Beetlejuice, which also might be the biggest outing so far. She has had her co-stars and audiences enamored with her performances in the genre so far. However, that does not seem to be the only field of expertise. Her observations about a movie impressed her co-star Winona Ryder so much that she almost cried.

Jenna Ortega’s Love for a Movie Left Co-star Winona Ryder Very Impressed

In the upcoming movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder reprised her role as Lydia Deetz while Michael Keaton returned as the after-life demon Beetlegeuse. Jenna Ortega has joined the cast as Lydia’s teen daughter Astrid Deetz in the Tim Burton-directed movie.

After playing amazing roles in films like Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Little Women, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Ryder went on an acting hiatus. Her attempts at a career revival did not prove to be fruitful until she starred in the popular Netflix show Stranger Things.

The Girl, Interrupted star has worked with her fair share of young actors. In a recent interview with The Los Angeles Times, she expressed her frustration over the lack of enthusiasm in these up-and-coming film lovers.

I don’t mean to sound so hopeless. There are a few that are just not interested in movies. Like, the first thing they say is, ‘How long is it?’ 

This, however, was not the case when it came to Ortega who impressed Ryder early on with her references to specific shots in the classic film I Am Cuba. The veteran was admittedly moved to tears by this kind of enthusiasm for movies from Ortega.

Jenna Ortega on Her Bond with Winona Ryder

Ever since the press tour for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice began, fans have been showered with stories of Ryder’s strong bond with Ortega. After all, it is not every day that a veteran actress and a Gen Z actress are seen vibing together despite the huge generational gap between them. That too when it is their first project together.

The Stuck in the Middle actress reflected on her connection with Ryder in an interview with The New York Times. She said:

She was so warm and welcoming and kind and inviting right from the jump, and I couldn’t be more grateful. [..] The way Winona and I got along was quite weird. It was like we were reading each other’s minds a little bit.

Ortega refused to give any details about the advice she received from Ryder. However, she expressed her gratefulness for having met her at the time of her life when she really needed the sympathy of someone who had been in the same shoes.

When the shooting of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice began, Ortega had just risen to stardom for portraying Wednesday. She was overwhelmed and meeting Ryder, who had been in a somewhat similar predicament in the ’90s, definitely helped her deal with all of the pressure. The duo truly seems to have a mother-daughter dynamic even in real life with Ryder taking the young actress under her wing at a crucial point in her life.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to be released in theatres on September 6, 2024.