Jenna Ortega opens up about being unhappy after Wednesday Season 1 but says producing Season 2 helped her reclaim her voice and joy.
Jenna Ortega may have led one of Netflix’s biggest hits with Wednesday, but behind the scenes, the experience of skyrocketing fame wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. As the world prepares for the premiere of Wednesday Season 2—part one drops on August 6—Jenna Ortega is sharing how her outlook has shifted since filming Season 1.
In a candid interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Jenna Ortega admitted that the aftermath of the show’s breakout success left her feeling lost and overwhelmed. “To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person,” she said. “After the pressure, the attention—as somebody who’s quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary.”
The pressures of sudden global fame, combined with her introverted nature, created a challenging transition for the young star. Jenna Ortega, who has been acting since childhood, described the feeling of being misunderstood and stuck in a loop of anxiety, especially as she struggled to find her place on set during Season 1.
“I didn’t really have a place,” she shared, recalling how she initially felt sidelined during the creative process. Jenna Ortega famously made headlines in 2023 when she revealed she had to “put her foot down” on set to ensure her input was acknowledged. That determination paid off—she’s now a producer on Wednesday Season 2.
“I sit in on meetings and listen and learn. I’m still finding my footing in that area,” Jenna Ortega explained, adding that her expanded role has given her greater creative satisfaction. She’s also thrilled about the direction of the new season, which she says leans more into horror. “Season 2 is bigger, bolder, gorier, and a bit darker. It’s sillier in the best way possible.”
The change of scenery also helped improve her experience. Production moved to Dublin, Ireland, for the second season, and Jenna Ortega says it made all the difference. “Dublin was incredible. I loved everything about that experience—the cast, the crew. It was so sweet and so awesome. That island is so beautiful.”
Beyond the set, Jenna Ortega has continued to navigate the complexities of fame. In a separate interview with Variety, she opened up about the double-edged sword of playing an iconic character like Wednesday Addams. While the role gave her creative opportunities and global recognition, it also led to intense scrutiny and social media pressure. She expressed feeling “incredibly misunderstood” at the peak of her fame and noted how the industry’s perception of her has changed.
“There’s just something about it that’s very patronizing,” she said of being seen as a schoolgirl character while trying to grow as an actress. Jenna Ortega, now in her early twenties, has made a point of diversifying her roles—signing on to films like A24’s Death of a Unicorn, Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun, and The Gallerist with Natalie Portman.
Ultimately, Jenna Ortega is thankful for her fans and the platform Wednesday has given her, but she’s also determined to find projects that challenge her and reflect her evolution. “I want to be able to give back to them,” she said, “but I also want to do things that are creatively fulfilling to me.”
With a stronger voice, a producer title, and a new season she’s proud of, Jenna Ortega is ready to take Wednesday Addams into a darker, more daring chapter—and this time, she’s doing it on her own terms.
