rundown
Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega began the year with a Golden Globe nomination for her work on the show’s second season. The 23-year-old actress arrived at the ceremony in Los Angeles wearing a black dress with a dramatic cutout on the side. She accessorized with silver earrings and a ring. Ortega will receive the award tonight for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy.
Ortega made her last public appearance last month at the closing ceremony of the Marrakech International Film Festival. The star chose an asymmetrical red dress by Lanvin for the night.
In July, Ortega spoke with Tim Burton for The Hollywood Reporter about what first drew him to his character Wednesday. Burton called her a character who “doesn’t have a lot of emotional range, so it’s all about being sensitive.”
Ortega agreed, adding, “Aside from villains who tend to have no emotional growth or depth, she’s also one of the few protagonists who can get away with that.” She went on to recall trying to play the character before the TV series began, saying, “I actually auditioned for the Wednesday animated film when I was 14 and didn’t get it. I remember saying to my mom, ‘But it would be cool to be her.'”
Later in the conversation, Ortega talked about the disconnect between the public’s perception of her and who she really is. “I think that’s part of my struggle with that aspect of this job because I feel incredibly misunderstood,” she said. “It’s almost like your name doesn’t belong to you. It barely even resonates with you anymore. I hate assumptions, and a big part of this job is people making assumptions about you.”
She added, “Yes, I have similar qualities to Wednesday, but I’m different from her.”
Burton said he misses the days when there was a mystery about who was an actor outside of work. Ortega continued that thought, saying, “Here’s the discussion about ‘Death of the Movie Star,’ and it’s just that. We know too much. And people are entitled to pieces of your life that they wouldn’t feel the same way about if they were put under the same microscope.” But there are expectations for creative people, they shouldn’t be talking in public half the time. They’re supposed to be salesmen for their own brand. But you should lock them in a room and leave them to create their art. ”
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