Portrait · Colleen Sturtevant / WikiPortraits / CC BY 4.0

Jenna Ortega

Actor, producer and author

Born 2002

Jenna Ortega is an American actor, producer and author who grew up in California's Coachella Valley in a family of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. She began acting professionally as a child, moving from small parts in Rob, CSI: NY and Iron Man 3 to recurring work as Young Jane on Jane the Virgin and a Disney Channel lead role as Harley Diaz in Stuck in the Middle. Ellie Alves in You and her acclaimed performance as a trauma survivor in The Fallout helped bridge her child-actor career to adult roles. In 2022, Ortega appeared in both Scream and Ti West's X before the title role in Netflix's Wednesday made her internationally prominent and brought Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. She returned as Tara Carpenter in Scream VI and reunited with Wednesday director Tim Burton as Astrid Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Seeking more creative agency, Ortega joined Wednesday's producing team for Season 2 and took executive-producer credits on Death of a Unicorn and Hurry Up Tomorrow while also starring in both films. Her credits also include authoring the reflection collection It's All Love. By September 2026, Wednesday Season 3 had completed filming; she was preparing for the October release of Klara and the Sun, and developing further acting and producing work including Nasty and J. J. Abrams's The Great Beyond.

Verified identityCore facts checked against named sources.

Keep exploring

Connected people

ConnectionTim BurtonDirector and executive producer of Wednesday and director of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

ConnectionEmma MyersWednesday co-star and friend; the pair discussed their collaboration in a Netflix mutual interview.

ConnectionWinona RyderBeetlejuice Beetlejuice co-star who joined Wednesday Season 3.

Official records · wins and honours

Awards & Honours

Selected recognition linked to the awarding organisation or primary record.

2024
People's Choice AwardsCompetitive win
Drama Movie Star of the Year
Scream VI
Official record
2023
MTV Movie & TV AwardsCompetitive win
Best Performance in a Show
Wednesday
Official record
2018
Imagen FoundationCompetitive win
Best Young Actor — Television
Stuck in the Middle
Official record

Drama Movie Star of the Year

Best Performance in a Show

Best Young Actor — Television