19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (2025)

Table of Contents
1. To start, Jenna Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, which makes her a Libra. 2. She started acting when she was a kid and was actually discovered after her mom posted a video of her on Facebook. 3. Jenna has since gone on to have roles in Stuck in the Middle, Jane the Virgin, You, and Scream to name a few. 4. Growing up, the actor had five brothers and sisters. 5. In May 2021, she revealed that she would be playing the iconic role of Wednesday Addams for the upcoming Netflix adaptation by Tim Burton. 6. Jenna has over 6 million followers on Instagram, and you can give her a follow at @jennaortega. 7. She has a guilty pleasure for food TV shows. 8. The young actor also has a big sweet tooth and can't get enough of chocolate. 9. In July 2021, Jenna was featured in her first fashion campaign for American Eagle. 10. The California native made history when she became the voice of Disney's first Latina princess in the animated series Elena of Avalor. 11. When it comes to her go-to pizza order, you'll likely find her adding jalapeños because she loves to eat spicy food. 12. Having tamales every Christmas is one of her family's longest holiday traditions. 13. She's a philanthropist at heart and serves as an ambassador for UNAIDS in honor of her grandfather who passed away from the disease. 14. Her all-time favorite Disney movie is The Lion King. 15. TV obsession? She's a huge fan of Netflix's Stranger Things, of course. 16. One of Jenna's favorite hobbies is taking a pen to paper and writing whenever she can. 17. She keeps her daily skincare routine simple and low maintenance by using Neutrogena products like the Pink Grapefruit Cleanser and Pink Grapefruit Moisturizer. 18. When it comes to her personality IRL, she's pretty sarcastic. 19. And finally, she wants to continue to challenge herself in her acting career and step outside of her comfort zone. Don’t miss Sam Claflin in the new rom-com Book of Love from BuzzFeed Studios, coming to Amazon Prime Video February 4 and Sky Cinema February 12. FAQs

    She's taking Hollywood by storm.

    by Michele BirdBuzzFeed Contributor

    1. To start, Jenna Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, which makes her a Libra.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (2)

    Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images

    2. She started acting when she was a kid and was actually discovered after her mom posted a video of her on Facebook.

    3. Jenna has since gone on to have roles in Stuck in the Middle, Jane the Virgin, You, and Scream to name a few.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (4)

    Brownie Harris / © Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    4. Growing up, the actor had five brothers and sisters.

    6. Jenna has over 6 million followers on Instagram, and you can give her a follow at @jennaortega.

    7. She has a guilty pleasure for food TV shows.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (8)

    Jeremy Chan / Getty Images

    "I want to learn how to cook, so I watch those when I’m by myself."

    8. The young actor also has a big sweet tooth and can't get enough of chocolate.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (9)

    Young Hollywood / Getty Images

    9. In July 2021, Jenna was featured in her first fashion campaign for American Eagle.

    @americaneagle / @jennaortega / Via instagram.com

    10. The California native made history when she became the voice of Disney's first Latina princess in the animated series Elena of Avalor.

    11. When it comes to her go-to pizza order, you'll likely find her adding jalapeños because she loves to eat spicy food.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (12)

    Emma Mcintyre / Getty Images for YouTube

    12. Having tamales every Christmas is one of her family's longest holiday traditions.

    13. She's a philanthropist at heart and serves as an ambassador for UNAIDS in honor of her grandfather who passed away from the disease.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (14)

    Michael Tran / FilmMagic / Getty Images

    "Growing up, my parents always emphasized the importance of philanthropy — and my mom didn't want me to act originally because she was scared of the industry and all of the horror stories she'd become familiar with," she said.

    14. Her all-time favorite Disney movie is The Lion King.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (15)

    Amy Sussman / Getty Images

    15. TV obsession? She's a huge fan of Netflix's Stranger Things, of course.

    @jennaortega / Via instagram.com

    "I nerd out about Stranger Things," she said."I follow everyone’s theories about the show, and I cannot get enough of it."

    16. One of Jenna's favorite hobbies is taking a pen to paper and writing whenever she can.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (17)

    Jc Olivera / Getty Images

    "I write all the time, I'll write about whatever," she said. "I'll write essays or I'll write scripts, it doesn't really matter but it's a great way to unwind."

    17. She keeps her daily skincare routine simple and low maintenance by using Neutrogena products like the Pink Grapefruit Cleanser and Pink Grapefruit Moisturizer.

    18. When it comes to her personality IRL, she's pretty sarcastic.

    @jennaortega / Via instagram.com

    "All throughout my life, people have told me I gave off a Wednesday vibe, at least in terms of sarcasm," she said. "I need to watch my sarcasm sometimes because I think people think I’m too serious."

    19. And finally, she wants to continue to challenge herself in her acting career and step outside of her comfort zone.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (20)

    Arnold Turner / Getty Images for Creative Artists Agency

    "I do want to do projects that challenge me a little bit more and put me in situations that I may not necessarily be able to initially relate to, just to push myself and see what I can do," she said.

    Don’t miss Sam Claflin in the new rom-com Book of Love from BuzzFeed Studios, coming to Amazon Prime Video February 4 and Sky Cinema February 12.

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (21)

    BuzzFeed Studios / Amazon Prime Video

    19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life (2025)

    FAQs

    Why is Jenna Ortega important? ›

    She started as a child actor on the Disney Channel, played the young version of Jane in the CW series “Jane the Virgin” and later starred in the “Scream” and “X” horror franchises. Now she is 21.

    What did Jenna Ortega do when she was little? ›

    Jenna Ortega got her start in Hollywood as a child actor at age 9 and quickly gained a following with roles on hit series like Disney Channel's “Stuck in the Middle.” She recently told The New York Times that she never endured misconduct as a kid on sets because her mother “watched over me like a hawk.” Ortega did not ...

    How does Jenna Ortega never blink? ›

    Jenna had previously confirmed this factoid herself when she appeared on The Today Show on November 21. "She doesn't blink," Ortega said of Wednesday. "[Tim Burton] likes it when I tilt my chin down and look through my eyebrows, kind of like a Kubrick stare, and then I relax all the muscles in my face," she explained.

    What is Jenna Ortega's favourite food? ›

    Her favorite snack, she says, combines all the spice with some salt. “I love popcorn. I'll dip popcorn in jalapeño juice or I'll put jalapeños in my popcorn,” Ortega reveals. The Super Bowl commercial, which is Ortega's first, meant more to the 21-year-old, as she says she grew up snacking on Doritos.

    Does Jenna have a boyfriend? ›

    Jenna Ortega appears to be single in 2024 and not romantically involved with anyone.

    What race is Jenna Ortega? ›

    Her father, a former sheriff who works at a California district attorney's office, is of Mexican descent, and her mother, who is of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, works as an emergency room nurse.

    Did Jenna Ortega hit puberty? ›

    She added: "Nobody tells you this until you get there, but there's an awkward phase in your life where you're going through puberty and there's a two-year span where work is just extra hard to find. I was too old for the young roles and too young for the older roles. It was really frustrating."

    Why did Jenna Ortega deleted her twitter? ›

    Actor Jenna Ortega said she deleted X, then known as Twitter, after a "terrifying" experience encountering AI-generated pornographic images of herself on the platform when she was a minor. In an interview with The New York Times published Saturday, Ortega, 21, reflected on how she feels about artificial intelligence.

    How many things has Jenna Ortega been in? ›

    Restless in her profession, Jenna is accountable for more than 15 television staples and blockbuster films to date, commonly accepting lead roles.

    Is Jenna Ortega a goth? ›

    From Winona Ryder to Jenna Ortega, a Goth Girl Timeline - The New York Times.

    Why doesn't Wednesday blink? ›

    The idea came about after they tried one take where Jenna didn't blink, and it left Tim Burton inspired. Netflix's official account on Twitter revealed: “After trying one take where she didn't blink, Tim Burton was so enamoured with the result he told Jenna Ortega not to blink anymore when playing Wednesday.

    Does Jenna Ortega regret the dance? ›

    Some of the moves I had planned, some of it was improved. That was one of the scenes that I stay awake at night thinking about. There was so much I could have done and should have done. So, the fact that anyone has shown any appreciation or even tried it themselves is unfathomable to me.

    Does Jenna Ortega eat meat? ›

    But I stopped being vegan when I went to Romania to shoot Wednesday.” She explained, “The food is very different there, and I don't think that I was meeting my nutrition requirements, so I started eating fish again. So I'm currently pescatarian.”

    What is Jenna Ortega's style called? ›

    Gothic Glam

    In New York City, Ortega referenced Keaton's iconic striped suit with two different tailored looks. Her chic long-sleeve suit is by Dolce & Gabbana and channels what Melendez calls "soft goth glam La Bella Mafia vibes."

    What is Jenna Ortega's pet peeve? ›

    My pet peeve is bad breath. Like I can't stand it, especially if I have it.

    How did Jenna Ortega help the community? ›

    Wednesday star Jenna Ortega is proud of her work as an ambassador for Unaids. The organization connects community and government leaders to those who need life-saving HIV services. Ortega's commitment to the organization stems from a very personal reason: a family member who died from AIDS.

    What is a quote from Jenna Ortega? ›

    Jenna Ortega Quotes

    Faith is also belief, and that belief can be in God, or in the goodness of the universe around you, or maybe even in yourself. It's a foundation to stand on when things get hard. Be patient with a broken heart.

    Is Jenna Ortega an A-list celebrity? ›

    Wednesday star Jenna Ortega and Anyone but You's Glen Powell are among the top 10 young Hollywood A-list stars named by The Hollywood Reporter.

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