Jenna Ortegais no stranger to irony. The actress has long had a knack for pointing to the irony and/or hypocrisy of any situation — be it plot or emotionally driven — on-screen. It’s part of what has made her acting so compelling, landing her roles on TV series likeYouand inthe slasher franchiseScream. And it’s absolutely at the heart of her titular character from Netflix’sWednesday, Wednesday Addams. Which is why Ortega has some very funny and very apt thoughts about what Wednesday Addams might think about the success of her series (ahead ofits Season 2 premiere) and its place in the current pop culture zeitgeist.
In a recent profile fromHarper’s Bazaar,Ortega points out many an irony regarding her own life and work, and the idiosyncrasies and nuances therein, chief among them being Wednesday Addams' place in pop culture (very popular!) in juxtaposition with her status as an outsider/loner (generally unpopular!) type. After all, Wednesday Addams does not hold her tongue — which many people do in an era where fear of cancellation, consequences, and/or confrontation finds many holding back (social media posts notwithstanding). “I mean, God, if you could speak to everybody like Wednesday—just say what you truly mean—it would be amazing! She doesn’t care,” the actress explained, before adding that, “It’s pretty funny, when you think about it. She’s an outsider, but now she’s on these mugs, cereal boxes, and T-shirts. You’re just thinking, ‘Oh, man, she would hate this!'”
Wednesday Addams’ Most Savage Comebacks, Ranked
Wednesday’s dark nature and coldhearted wit can lead to some pretty entertaining interactions, regardless of if she’s talking to an enemy or a friend.
And honestly? We think she’s right: imagine the bone-chilling disgust and fear that would overtake Wednesday Addams were she able to witness the sort of large-scale commercialization and capitalist exploitation of her image. How ironic, to create an ecosystem of commerce and corporate gain, off the image of someone who’s constantly trying to undermine systems of oppression in her life?
Of course, there were other ironies Ortega pointed out about her own experiences with her career, the world, andWednesday. Curious to know more? Keep reading in the section below!
Jenna Ortega Is Trying To Balance The Conflicting Emotions Of Being Wednesday Addams
Ortega seems to relish the unexpected cognitive dissonance that is inherent in Wednesday Addams' existence and how it impacts her own experiences and career. “What’s so strange about a character like Wednesday is that Wednesday is an outcast and an outsider — but she’s also a pop-culture icon,” Ortega explained toHarper’s. “So, in a strange way, I feel like I’ve become a pop actor — if that makes sense. And that’s something I never saw for myself.”
The actress also recently lamentedhow patronizing it can feelto be a young, former child actress — particularly one that is short. It’s something she has in common with recent co-star Natalie Portman. The two star in Cathy Yan’s upcoming comedy thrillerThe Gallerist, a movie about Natalie Portman’s art dealer character trying to sell a corpse at Art Basel (Ortega plays her understandably stressed assistant).
As Portman explained toHarper’s:
“We’re both physically tiny, so people will often treat you like a child forever. I’m 43 now, and people kind of pat me on the head. I don’t look like a child, but I often feel like I’m treated like a kid. Child actors often cultivate a serious persona because, otherwise, they’ll get treated like kids forever. When you start working as a kid, you kind of always feel like a kid in the workplace. Having some of that seriousness helps remind people, ‘I’m a grown-up.'”
It was a comment to which Ortega said she could deeply relate. Thankfully, Ortega seems to have a good perspective on all of these things, no doubt thanks in part to her many years working in the ever-conflicting and confounding industry that is Hollywood. (Oh, to love and make movies!) Which brings us to our lighter end of the story: a video that showcases Ortega’s fantastic taste in film (she has long been known as a classic film nerd), as evidenced by her Letterboxd interview (which you can check out below):
Harper’s Bazaar
