Jenna Ortega

Jenna Marie Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, in Coachella Valley, California, the fourth of six children born to Edward Ortega, a former sheriff’s deputy, and Natalie Ortega, an emergency room nurse. Of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, Ortega demonstrated an instinctive dramatic flair as a toddler, prompting her mother to post a video of her reciting a monologue on Facebook, which caught the attention of a family friend casting agent.

After guest appearances on 'Jane the Virgin' (playing young Jane) and 'CSI: NY', Ortega starred for three seasons as inventive middle child Harley Diaz in Disney Channel's 'Stuck in the Middle' (2016–2018). In 2022, Ortega revitalized contemporary horror cinema, earning the title of 'Gen-Z Scream Queen' following acclaimed performances in Ti West’s A24 slasher 'X' and Radio Silence’s box-office smash 'Scream' (2022) and 'Scream VI' (2023).

In late 2021, iconic director Tim Burton cast Ortega as the titular gothic heroine in Netflix's 'Wednesday'. Embracing a rigorous preparation regimen, Ortega took cello lessons twice a week, trained in German, fencing, canoeing, and archery, and deliberately trained herself not to blink while filming to craft Wednesday's unsettling, hyper-intelligent stare.

Released in November 2022, 'Wednesday' became an astronomical global streaming sensation, accumulating over 1.7 Billion viewing hours to become the second most-watched English-language series in Netflix history. Ortega personally choreographed her viral dance to The Cramps’ 'Goo Goo Muck', which spawned hundreds of millions of recreations across TikTok and Instagram. At age 20, Ortega earned nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and the Golden Globe Award.

Recognizing her intrinsic understanding of the character and narrative tone, Netflix and MGM Television appointed Ortega as Executive Producer for 'Wednesday' Season 2, filmed across Ireland. In her producing capacity, Ortega insisted on steering the series away from teen love triangles in favor of darker, horror-driven supernatural mystery.

Ortega has consistently used her platform to advocate for narrative rigor, insisting that creative talent must have a voice in script development. Her vocal commitment to story integrity resonated with a generation of young artists seeking greater creative autonomy.

In 2024, Ortega reunited with Tim Burton for the highly anticipated sequel 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', starring alongside original cast members Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder as Astrid Deetz, the cynical, estranged daughter of Lydia Deetz. The film debuted at #1 at the global box office, grossing over $450 Million and proving her cross-generational box office bankability.

Her slate of premier auteur collaborations expanded with Trey Edward Shults' psychological thriller co-starring The Weeknd and Barry Keoghan, and A24's dark fantasy comedy 'Death of a Unicorn' alongside Paul Rudd, establishing her as one of the premier leading ladies in American cinema.

Ortega’s documented net worth is evaluated at $10.0 Million USD by trade audits, driven by her escalating episodic fees ($250,000+ per episode) and global endorsement contracts as a brand ambassador for Christian Dior perfumes and Adidas.

A vocal advocate for authentic Latinx representation, immigration reform, and mental health awareness, Ortega served as an ambassador for UNAIDS in honor of her grandfather who passed away from AIDS. She lives privately in California, focusing on classical literature, screenwriting, and auteur cinema.