A fast-rising star in Hollywood known for the role of ‘Ellie’ in the second season of Netflix’s ‘You’, the 19-year-old Jenna Ortega stars in the horror/slasher ‘X’ alongside Emma’s Mia Goth, Brittany Snow (the ‘Pitch Perfect’ film franchise), rapper Kid Cudi, Mark Henderson (‘Virgin River’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’) and Owen Campbell (‘Super Dark Times’), among others. The film was released on March 18.
However, Ortega has been known for her great roles in animated TV shows, thrillers, horror flicks, and more. These led her to appear in the latest installment of an iconic American slasher film franchise, an HBO Max movie about the survivors of a school shooting, an upcoming Addams Family spinoff series directed by Tim Burton as the lead ‘Wednesday Addams’, and more exciting projects!
It’s clear that Ortega, who began her career as a child actor in epic films, isn’t going away from our screens anytime soon. So let’s take a look at some of her roles in impressive TV series and movies throughout her career!
Jane The Virgin
Jane Villanueva is the daughter of a teen mother. She grew up determined not to repeat her mom’s mistakes. Studying to be a teacher, she is engaged to a handsome detective. He supports Jane’s decision to remain a virgin until marriage. However, a routine visit to the clinic turns her life upside down.
She is inseminated by a specimen meant for a patient in the next room. She learns that the sperm donor is her boss, Rafael and her meticulously planned life gets more like the telenovelas she loves. Jane faces a lot of complicated decisions about the future.
The TV series’ cast also includes Justin Baldoni (‘Five Feet Apart’) as ‘Rafael Solano’, Yael Grobglas as ‘Petra Solano’, Brett Dier (‘Fresh’, ‘Ravenswood’) as ‘Michael Cordero, Jr.’, Jaime Camil (‘Coco’) as ‘Rogelio de le Vega’, Diane Guerrero (‘Orange is the New Black’, ‘Encanto’) as Lina Santillan and Andrea Nevado as Xiomara Villanueva. Starting in 2014, this TV series ran for five seasons. Throughout the show, Jenna Ortega appeared as the young version of Jane.
“She did so more than any other actor who took on the role over time in key flashback sequences,” as per Screen Rant. This is the show that made Gina Rodriguez, who played Jane, into a household name.
Find ‘Jane The Virgin’ on: Netflix (US, UK, NZ, India) | Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK, Australia)
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Jurassic Park: Camp Cretaceous
Jenna Ortega has also done voice acting roles. She is currently a voice actor in ‘Jurassic Park: Camp Cretaceous’, which follows teens attending an adventure camp on the opposite side of Isla Nublar. They must all band together to survive when dinosaurs wreak havoc on the island in this series that began in 2020.
It currently has four seasons with a cast that includes Stephanie Beatriz (‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’, ‘Encanto’), Raini Rodriguez (‘Austin & Ally’), Jameela Jamil (‘The Good Place’), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (‘Cruella’, ‘The Good Place’), and Ortega plays Brooklynn, one of the main characters.
Find ‘Jurassic Park: Camp Cretaceous’ on: Netflix (US, UK, India) | Apple TV (New Zealand, Australia)
YOU (Season 2)
Most people may know of Jenna Ortega from her role on the second season of the hit series ‘You’. Ortega played the role of Ellie Alves, the sister of Delilah (Carmela Zumbado, ‘iCarly’, ‘Chicago P.D’). The sisters are the neighbors of the dangerous serial killer protagonist, Joe, played by Penn Badgley (‘Gossip Girl’ ), who forms an interesting bond with Ellie and her sister Delilah.
The Netflix TV Series is about a serial killer who is a dangerously charming and intensely obsessive young man, Joe Goldberg. He goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by. The role of ‘Ellie’ in this series may have helped launch Ortega’s star status. The second season of ‘You’ also featured Victoria Pedretti (‘The Haunting of the Hill House’, ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’), and James Scully.
Watch ‘You’ on Netflix (US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and India)
Insidious: Chapter 2
One of the most impressive and well-known horror film franchises cast Jenna Ortega in the role of a girl named Annie in the film ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ directed by James Wan. Soon after their showdown with evil spirits that possessed their son, the Lamberts, Renai (Rose Byrne, ‘Instant Family’’, ‘Bridesmaid’) and Josh (Patrick Wilson, ‘The Conjuring’’, ‘Fargo’), are ready for their lives to return to normal. But something still is seriously off, especially with Josh (Garrett Ryan, ‘Oculus’) in ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’.
Unbeknown to Renai, he is possessed too. And to free Josh’s soul and finally defeat the malevolent forces around them, Lorraine Lambert (Barbara Hershey, ‘Beaches’) and her ghost-hunting friends investigate the past to save her family’s future. This film’s cast also includes Leigh Whannell (‘Insidious: Chapter 3’, ‘The Invisible Man’), Lin Shaye (‘Insidious’ film series), Ty Simpkins (‘Jurassic World’), Danielle Bisutti (‘True Jackson VP’), and Jocelin Donahue (‘Doctor Sleep’).
Find ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ on: Apple TV (India) | Netflix (US, UK, Australia and New Zealand) | Apple TV (US) | Vudu (US) | Amazon Prime Video (US) | Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Binge (Australia) | iTunes (New Zealand)
Scream
“Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, Calif., a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers” to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past by going after people with familial connections to those in the franchise’s past.
This film reunites the original ‘Scream‘s main trio featuring Courteney Cox (‘Friends’), Neve Campbell (‘House of Cards’), Skeet Ulrich (‘Finch’), Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter, Sam Carpenter’s sister (Melissa Barrera, ‘In The Heights’), Mikey Madison (‘Once Upon A Time in Hollywood’), David Arquette (‘Never Been Kissed’), Dylan Minnette (‘12 Reasons Why’), Mason Gooding (‘Love, Victor’), among others. This film is one of Ortega’s latest projects.
Find ‘Scream’ on: Paramount+ (US) | Vudu (US) | Amazon (US) | Apple TV (US) | Google Play (US, India)
Stuck in the Middle
‘Stuck in the Middle’ sees Ortega in the role of Harley Diaz, a teenager who is a middle child in a family with six other siblings. She is a young genius who uses her creativity and technical know-how to stand out from her six siblings and maneuvers her way through the bustle and deal with her busy parents.
This series began in 2016 and ended in 2018 with a cast including Isaak Presley (‘Fuller House’), Ronni Hawk (‘On My Block’), Ariana Greenblatt (‘Love and Monsters’), Malachi Barton (‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’), Kayla Maisonet (‘Dog with a Blog’), and Joshua Bassett (‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’).
Find ‘Stuck in the Middle’ on: Hotstar (India) | Disney+ (US) | Amazon (US) | YouTube TV
Elena of Avalor
In another role in voice acting, Jenna Ortega voiced the character of Princess Isabel, the younger sister of the titular character Princess Elena (Aimee Carrero, ‘Maid’). ‘Elena of Avalor’ follows Princess Elena, who is on a journey that began years earlier. It all started when an evil sorceress Shuriki took her parents and kingdom from her. Now, having defeated the sorceress, the royal teenager is due to take her place on the throne. However, she needs help ruling Avalor.
That assistance comes in the form of the Grand Council. It is made up of Grandfather Tito, Grandmother Cici and royal adviser Duke Esteban. Princess Elena goes on adventures — with wizard-in-training Mateo (Joseph Haro). She also has magical Skylar (Carlos Alazraqui, ‘Reno 911’) at her side. They help her understand the traits that make a good leader. The series began in 2016.
Find ‘Elena of Avalor’ on: Disney+ (US) | Hotstar (India) | Amazon (US, UK, Australia, New Zealand) | iTunes | Google Play
The Fallout
‘The Fallout’ is a 2021 film that sees Jenna Ortega as a highschooler Vada who has forged new friendships under sudden and tragic circumstances (a school shooting). Bolstered with these, she begins to reinvent herself. Vada does this while re-evaluating her relationships with her family, friends and her view of the world, and moves away from her comfortable family routine. The young girl starts taking chances with a series of quicksilver decisions. These test Vada’s boundaries. They push her in new directions.
Vada spends more time with Mia (Maddie Ziegler, ‘Dance Moms’, ‘West Side Story’). They grow closer, and she slowly redefines herself through their shared experiences. This leads Vada further away from that day and closer to living her life in the now, in this compelling exploration of the inexplicable resiliency of life. The film also explores the hope that emerges out of loss. ‘The Fallout’ also stars Shailene Woodley (‘Divergent’, ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, ‘Big Little Lies’), Lumi Pollack, Niles Fitch (‘This Is Us’), Julie Bowen (‘Modern Family’), Will Ropp, among others.
Watch ‘The Fallout’ on: HBO Max (US)
Big City Green
Disney channel’s ‘Big City Green’ follows a country boy. He shifts to a metropolitan city with his family from their rural farm, and he has new things to explore every day! He tries to adjust to the new lifestyle in this TV series voiced by Chris Houghton, Marieve Herington, Artemis Pebdani, Zeno Robinson, Bob Joles, among others with Ortega voicing the character of Gabriella. She is Cricket’s (the son of the central family) girlfriend.
Find ‘Big City Green’ on: YouTube TV | Amazon (US, Australia, New Zealand) | Disney+ (India) | Disney+ (UK) | iTunes | Google Play
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Iron Man 3
Marvel’s ‘Iron Man 3’ sees Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr., ‘Sherlock Holmes’) plagued with worry and insomnia since saving New York from destruction. He is now more dependent on the suits that give him his Iron Man persona. This is at a level where every aspect of his life is affected. It includes his relationship with Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow, ‘Glee’, ‘The Politician’). A malevolent enemy known as the ‘Mandarin’ (Ben Kingsley, ‘Gandhi’, ‘Schindler’s List’)) reduces his personal world to rubble.
Tony must then rely solely on instinct and ingenuity to avenge his losses. He must do this to protect the people he loves. Ortega had a small part in this movie. The actor could appear or land a role in a new part in the franchise and many wouldn’t remember this role as she portrayed the daughter of the Vice President, one of many people that Tony Stark needs to save.
The film also starred Guy Pearce (‘Memento’, ‘Mare of Easttown’), Jon Favreau (‘The Lion King’, ‘The Chef Show’), Don Cheadle (‘Hotel Rwanda’, ‘House of Lies’), Rebecca Hall (‘The Night House’, ‘Passing’), Ty Simpkins (‘Insidious: Chapter 2’), among others!
Find ‘Iron Man 3’ on: Disney+ Hotstar (India) | YouTube | Google Play | Amazon (US, UK) | Vudu (US) | STARZ (US) | Hulu (US) | Amazon Prime Video (US) | Netflix (UK)
