2012-2020: Disney Channel kid, background roles, making scale pay.
2022: Wednesday launched—1.7 billion hours viewed, biggest Netflix series ever.
The dance: Choreographed herself while sick with COVID, went viral 17 billion times.
2023-2024: Scream franchise, Beetlejuice 2, every director wants her.
At 21: Most in-demand young actress in Hollywood—without a single adult blockbuster yet.
This is how Jenna Ortega went from Disney Channel kid to global phenomenon—by bringing deadpan darkness to a streaming-obsessed world.
The Disney Years (2012-2020)
Early Life
Born: September 27, 2002 (Coachella Valley, California)
Parents: Mexican-American, middle class
Siblings: 5 (she's fourth of six)
Discovery: Started acting at 9
First role: Rob (2012) — Baby doll
Motivation: Saw kids on TV, wanted to do it
Disney Channel Era
Jane the Virgin (2014-2019): Young Jane (breakthrough)
Stuck in the Middle (2016-2018): Harley Diaz (lead)
Format: Classic Disney sitcom
Episodes: 57 episodes
Salary: Scale (minimal)
Status: Working child actor, not a star
The Grind (2016-2020)
Other work:
- Richie Rich (Netflix)
- Elena of Avalor (voice)
- Iron Man 3 (uncredited extra)
Pattern: Lots of work, no breakthrough
Age: 14-17
Living: Normal life (school, acting)
Industry view: "Good child actress"
The Horror Pivot (2020-2022)
The Fallout (2021)
Role: High school shooting survivor
Platform: HBO Max
Performance: Critically acclaimed
Tone: Completely different from Disney
Her range: Proved dramatically
Age: 18
The shift: Taken seriously
Scream (2022)
Role: Tara Carpenter
Franchise: Legendary horror series
Her scenes: Opening kill sequence (survived)
Performance: Terrifying, vulnerable
Box office: $140 million
Reception: "The future of the franchise"
Age: 19
X (2022)
Director: Ti West
Genre: Horror
Role: Lorraine Day
Reception: Festival hit, cult favorite
Her pattern: Becoming horror's favorite
The reputation: Built
Wednesday (November 2022)
The Casting
Director: Tim Burton
Role: Wednesday Addams
Competition: Massive (iconic character)
Her audition: Dark, deadpan, original take
Burton's reaction: "She IS Wednesday"
Previous Wednesdays: Christina Ricci (now played different character)
The pressure: Enormous
Her Approach
Preparation:
- Watched all previous versions
- Learned cello
- Trained in fencing
- Developed own Wednesday voice
The character: Updated for Gen Z
Her take: More emotional than previous versions
The risk: Could have been criticized
The result: Universally praised
The Viral Dance
Episode 4: Rave scene
Song: "Goo Goo Muck" by The Cramps
Choreography: She did it herself
Condition: Had COVID while filming
She kept it secret: Tested positive, didn't tell anyone
The dance: Awkward, jerky, perfectly Wednesday
Views on TikTok: 17+ billion for #WednesdayAddams
The impact: Most viral TV moment of 2022
The COVID Controversy
Later revealed: She had COVID during dance filming
Public reaction: Mixed (should she have worked?)
Her defense: "I felt I had to"
The lesson: Production pressure on young actors
Netflix response: Protocol review
The Numbers
Release: November 23, 2022
First week: 341 million hours
First month: 1.24 billion hours
Total: 1.7 billion hours (most ever for English-language Netflix series)
Records broken: Multiple
Season 2: Immediately ordered
Her salary increase: From scale to $250K per episode (Season 2)
The Aftermath (2023-2024)
Scream VI (2023)
Role: Tara Carpenter (lead)
Box office: $169 million
Her status: Franchise lead
Performance: Carried the film
Future: She decides if franchise continues
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Director: Tim Burton (again)
Role: Astrid (lead)
Co-stars: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder
Significance: Sequel to Burton classic
Box office: $450+ million
Her performance: Critical acclaim
The proof: Not just Wednesday
Current Demand
Scripts: Hundreds
Offers: Every genre
Directors: All want her
Salary: $1-3 million per film
Selectivity: Very choosy
Age: 21
Status: Generational talent
What Makes Her Different
The Deadpan Mastery
Her speciality: Emotionless delivery
The skill: Harder than it looks
Wednesday: Perfect vehicle
Horror: Uses it well (terror under calm)
Comedy: Timing is impeccable
The combo: Unique
The Work Ethic
Dance: Choreographed herself
Cello: Learned for role
Languages: Learning multiple for roles
Stunts: Does many herself
Preparation: Extensive for every role
The commitment: Total
The Authenticity
Social media: Has it, uses sparingly
Interviews: Honest, sometimes too honest
Opinions: Shares them (controversial sometimes)
Hollywood game: Doesn't play it
The appeal: She's herself
The Genre Credibility
Horror: Embraced it, didn't run from it
The path: Horror → prestige usually fails
Her path: Horror → respect → more horror
The understanding: Horror fans are loyal
The strategy: Smart
The Controversies
COVID Filming
The issue: Worked while positive
Critics: "Endangered others"
Defense: "Production pressure"
Lesson: Industry needs to protect young actors
Her growth: Acknowledged it wasn't ideal
Scream Comments
2024 interview: Said she had issues with Scream 7 script
Implication: Why she left franchise
Public reaction: Divided (brave vs. unprofessional)
The result: She's not in Scream 7
Her approach: Honesty over diplomacy
The Numbers
Disney Channel years: 2014-2018
Wednesday views: 1.7 billion hours
TikTok dance views: 17+ billion
Beetlejuice 2 box office: $450+ million
Current salary: $1-3M per film
Age: 21
Major films in 2024: 3
Net worth: ~$5 million
From Disney to Domination
2012-2014: Background work, small roles
2014-2019: Jane the Virgin, Disney Channel
2021: The Fallout, dramatic shift
2022: Scream, X, horror queen
November 2022: Wednesday breaks Netflix
2023-2024: Scream VI, Beetlejuice 2, most wanted
Time to stardom: 10 years of work, overnight phenomenon
The Lesson
You can:
- Be Disney Channel kid making scale
- Work for 10 years without breaking out
- Be typecast as "child actor"
But if you:
- Embrace genres others avoid (horror)
- Commit completely to roles (learn cello, choreograph dance)
- Stay authentic even when controversial
- Take creative risks (your own choreography while sick)
- Choose quality over quantity
You become:
- 1.7 billion hours viewed
- 17 billion TikTok views for one dance
- Most in-demand young actress
- Tim Burton's new muse
- Proof that child actors can evolve
From Stuck in the Middle to Wednesday Addams.
From Disney Channel scale to $3M per film.
From background extra to franchise lead.
From 10 years of grind to overnight global phenomenon.
That's Jenna Ortega.
Who choreographed a dance while sick with COVID.
Because she's that committed.
And became the most viral actress on Earth.
At 21 years old.
The deadpan queen.
Who proved you can be dark and dominant.
In a world that wants both.
