Jenna Ortega has been overwhelmed by the success of Wednesday. Not only because she didn’t expect it, to the point of feeling “a bit confused,” but also due to the commitments that, even because of this popularity (the most-watched English-language series ever on Netflix), have followed. A strain that, a month after wrapping production on the third season, led her to admit in a recent interview that she wants to stay “away from TV for a while.” Especially to make room for other opportunities.
Is Jenna Ortega’s Future Not on TV? Here’s What the Actress Said
“Actually, I haven’t had many conversations about big franchises. Not really,” Ortega noted on the podcast Happy Sad Confused. “But what I’m destined to do will come looking for me. I think that, after Wednesday, I’ll probably stay away from TV for a while. You know, I spent many years doing this kind of thing; as a kid I hopped from one series to another, constantly, and now I want to make room for new things.”
The 24-year-old actress spoke about the success of Wednesday as something unexpected and, in some ways, out of control, revealing that, when she was recognized for the role of Wednesday Addams, the feeling was like “a kind of perverse mind game played by the world.” This happened especially during the first season, a period in which she also suffered from the lack of the right chemistry with the director and executive producer of the show Tim Burton. “I thought it wasn’t working at all,” she said. “Maybe I was overthinking, but there was also the Tim issue… I hadn’t ever worked with someone like him before. Tim is very, very shy. He opened up a lot, but when you start working with him, at first he doesn’t talk… Now I know him, but at the beginning there were situations that made you think: ‘Okay, there’s no rapport between us. He doesn’t speak to me.'”
Ortega added that Burton’s distant attitude perhaps stemmed from the need to give her the space necessary to step into the role. However, “to have, say, 17 or 18 years old, to be in a foreign country with a director of great caliber and feel that you can’t form a bond… I was really very stressed.” Today she feels much more at ease on set. “The crew, the people, everything: they’re all so adorable and kind, and work in perfect harmony,” she assured. “I met this character about six years ago, so over time you end up slipping perfectly into the rhythm. It’s really nice to see everyone at the peak, in the more relaxed and natural version of their own characters.”
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