Jenna Ortega wanted to “break away” from the Disney Channel mould after working on “Stuck in the Middle,” and over the past few years, she’s shown her skills in decidedly un-Disney genres. Since joining the season two cast of “You,” – arguably Ortega’s biggest role to date – the actress has been working overtime to carve her name into the thriller-horror genre with projects like “The Babysitter: Killer Queen,” “Studio 666,” and most recently, A24’s “X.” Plus, who could forget her stellar performance as Tara Carpenter in the 2021 version of “Scream”?
As a Disney star-turned-horror actress, Ortega told POPSUGAR, “My goal in acting was I never wanted to be pigeonholed into a certain character type.” Throughout her decade-long career in Hollywood (she’s only 19, by the way), the actress has proven she’s a jack of all trades. One moment she’ll be playing the role of an innocent teenager (“Yes Day”), and the next she’s hunting dinosaurs (“Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous”) or chasing down a murder suspect. It’s clear that Ortega is just getting started. Keep reading to see all of her major roles to date, and be on the lookout for her on Netflix’s upcoming Wednesday Addams-inspired mystery series.
– Additional reporting by Emily Weaver
The CW via Giphy
"Jane the Virgin"
Jenna Ortega’s breakout role was her five-season recurring role as the young version of Jane Villanueva on The CW’s beloved comedy “Jane the Virgin.” She played Jane in flashbacks throughout all five seasons of the show.
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"Richie Rich"
“You” isn’t Jenna Ortega’s first major role on a Netflix show. Back in 2015, she was one of the main characters on the reboot of “Richie Rich,” playing Richie’s luxury-loving best friend Darcy. The show wasn’t successful and ended after just one season.
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"Stuck in the Middle"
Jenna Ortega snagged her first full-fledged leading role on this Disney Channel sitcom “Stuck in the Middle,” where she played Harley Diaz, the middle child of seven siblings. The show ran from 2016 to 2018, earning Ortega three Imagen Award nominations, one of which she won.
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"Elena of Avalor"
Beginning in 2016 and continuing to the present day, Jenna Ortega has voiced the character of Princess Isabel on the Disney animated series “Elena of Avalor.” She plays the clever younger sister of the teenage princess Elena, Disney’s first Latina princesses.
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"Saving Flora"
The little-seen drama “Saving Flora” features Jenna Ortega as the teenage daughter of a circus owner who rescues an aging elephant from being euthanised. The two run away into the forest, where they encounter dangers on their way to an elephant preserve.
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"You"
“You” season two would not exist without Ortega’s character, Ellie Alves. With no parents and an older sister who’s MIA half the time, Ellie is basically raising herself. She’s rough around the edges and isn’t afraid to put Joe Goldberg, her new neighbour, in his place. Though Ellie’s storyline is intermingled with several key main characters in season two, she didn’t make an appearance in “You” season three.
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"The Babysitter: Killer Queen"
Following the major success and cult fandom of “The Babysitter,” Netflix dropped “The Babysitter: Killer Queen” in 2020. The horror sequel features Ortega as a pregnant high school student, who may or may not have murdered her parents. She develops a friendship with the film’s main character, Cole.
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"Yes Day"
Ortega stars as the onscreen daughter of Edgar Ramirez and Jennifer Garner in the Netflix family comedy “Yes Day.” At 14-years-old, she’s the eldest of her siblings and wishes her parents would finally treat her like a grown-up.
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"The Fallout"
“The Fallout” has become a defining moment in Ortega’s career. Her teenaged character, Vada, miraculously survives a school shooting. By chance, she and another classmate are both in the bathroom when a student opens fire. The film unfolds from there, showcasing how these two characters bond and cope over their shared trauma.
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"Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous"
Since its 2020 debut, Ortega has voiced the character of Brooklynn on Netflix’s animated series “Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.” She plays one of six teens who win a trip to Camp Cretaceous, a new adventure camp near Isla Nubar. Little do these campers know, there’s dinosaurs taking over the island. Season five hits Netflix this summer.
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"Scream"
Ortega is one of the many fresh faces in the fifth instalment of the “Scream” franchise. Her character, Tara, is a student at Woodsboro High, and is unsettlingly linked to Ghostface’s true identity.
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"Big City Greens"
On “Big City Greens,” Ortega is the voice of Gabriella. The Disney animated series is about Cricket Green and his family, who’ve just moved to a big city from a small rural town. Gabriella is Cricket’s new love interest. According to Deadline, the show has been renewed for a fourth season and a Disney musical spinoff. It’s unclear whether Ortega’s character will appear in either one.
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"Studio 666"
Inspired by spooky true events, “Studio 666” follows the Foo Fighters as they set up shop in an LA mansion to record their next rock album. Unbeknownst to them, the house is haunted. As recording gets underway, frontman Dave Grohl begins having run-ins with ghosts and other supernatural forces. Ortega has a minor role as a member of another band.
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"X"
In this slasher horror film, Ortega takes on the role of a dutiful girlfriend name Lorraine. She agrees to tag along on her boyfriend’s trip to small-town Texas, where he and several actors plan to make an adult film. Things take a turn for the worse when their hosts catch on to what they’re doing.
