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.
Frequently asked questions
How did Jenna Ortega move Winona Ryder to tears on the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice set?
According to the article, Ortega impressed Ryder by referencing specific shots from the classic 1964 film I Am Cuba while they were filming. Ryder, who has told The Los Angeles Times she is sometimes dismayed by young actors who are not interested in movies, was reportedly moved to tears by Ortega’s genuine enthusiasm and deep knowledge of cinema, which caught the veteran actress off-guard.
Who does Jenna Ortega play in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?
Jenna Ortega plays Astrid Deetz, the rebellious teen daughter of Winona Ryder’s character Lydia Deetz, in the Tim Burton-directed 2024 sequel. Ryder reprises her role as Lydia, while Michael Keaton returns as the ghostly bio-exorcist Betelgeuse (Beetlejuice). The article notes Ortega had just risen to stardom for playing Wednesday Addams when filming began.
What did Jenna Ortega say about her bond with Winona Ryder?
In an interview with The New York Times, Ortega said Ryder was warm, welcoming and kind from the start, and described how the two got along as “quite weird,” as if they were reading each other’s minds. The article reports the pair developed a mother-daughter dynamic, with Ryder mentoring Ortega during a high-pressure stretch of her career.
