NewKerala.com

Key Points

Jenna Ortega, known for her role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix's series, shares her frustrations about being perceived less seriously due to her schoolgirl costume. She describes the costume as "very patronising," given her efforts to transition into more serious roles. Ortega also discusses how her height and past roles impact how people view her, offering insight into challenges faced by young actresses in the public eye. As she reflects on her evolving tastes, she highlights the difficulty women face growing up under public scrutiny compared to their male counterparts.

Key Points: Jenna Ortega Critiques 'Wednesday' Uniform as Patronising

  • Jenna Ortega critiques her 'Wednesday' costume as demeaning
  • Struggles of being a short actress emphasized
  • Reflects on growing up in public’s eye and changing tastes
  • Compares experiences with gender dynamics in the industry
2 min read

Jenna Ortega finds her 'Wednesday' schoolgirl uniform 'very patronising'

Jenna Ortega feels her 'Wednesday' role affects how she's perceived seriously as an actress.

"You just don’t feel like you’re being taken seriously. - Jenna Ortega"

Los Angeles, May 29

“Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega has insisted it's not always easy trying to be "taken seriously" as a short actress.

The 22-year-old star plays iconic character Wednesday Addams in Netflix's 'Addams Family' spin-off series.

She told Harper's Bazaar magazine: "It’s always been really annoying, because you just don’t feel like you’re being taken seriously. You know, it’s like how you’re dressed in the schoolgirl costume... There’s just something about it that’s very patronising.”

"Also, when you’re short, people are already physically looking down on you.”

The actress said that 'Wednesday' has placed her in a difficult spot in her career as she tries to be taken seriously as an actress, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

She added: “I’m doing a show I’m going to be doing for years where I play a schoolgirl. But I’m also a young woman.”

The 'Scream' star, who first rose to fame as a child star in comedy drama 'Jane The Virgin' over a decade ago, has gone onto appear in the likes of 'You', 'X', 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' and 'Death of a Unicorn'.

She argued that boys have it easier when it comes to growing up in the public eye.

Ortega said: “But girls, if they don’t stay as this perfect image of how they were first introduced to you, then it’s ‘Ah, something’s wrong. She’s changed. She sold her soul.’ But you’re watching these women at the most pivotal times in their lives; they’re experimenting because that’s what you do.”

Ortega has reflected on how her "tastes" have changed as she's grown up, while she's also been given the freedom to grow after her time in Disney Channel show 'Stuck in the Middle' ended after four years in 2018.

She pondered: “I definitely feel like I have a bit more Gothic taste than I did when I was a teenager. I’ve always been into dark things or been fascinated by them, but I was a Disney kid, and the whole thing is being bubbly and kind and overly sweet.”

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
I totally get what Jenna is saying! In Bollywood too, actresses are often stuck in "cute" roles even when they want serious work. Height shouldn't define talent - look at Alia Bhatt's career growth despite being petite! 👏
R
Rahul S.
Wednesday is such an iconic character though! The school uniform is part of the Addams Family aesthetic. Maybe she could negotiate with costume designers to make it more mature while keeping the essence?
A
Anjali M.
As someone who's 5'1", I feel her pain! People automatically assume you're younger than you are. But she's killing it as Wednesday - that role has given her so much global recognition. Sometimes you have to play the game before you can change it.
V
Vikram P.
Interesting perspective! In India, we have actresses like Kangana Ranaut who broke out of the "sweet girl" mold successfully. Maybe Jenna should take inspiration from how she transitioned to more serious roles while keeping her unique identity.
S
Shreya N.
The pressure on young actresses is universal it seems! From Hollywood to Bollywood, they're expected to stay frozen in time. Good on Jenna for speaking up - representation matters at all heights! ✊
K
Karan D.
While I understand her frustration, Wednesday is literally a teenager in the show. The costume fits the character. Maybe she should focus on other projects if she wants to break the image? Just saying.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50