When Wednesday first hit Netflix in 2022, Jenna Ortega’s icy delivery wasn’t only a skit. Off-screen, she was quietly reshaping the show. The young actor revealed she often reworked her own dialogue, cutting lines she thought didn’t match Wednesday’s sharp, stoic core.
Her refusal to play into the show’s teen-romance angles sparked debate, especially a triangle she flatly rejected as “nonsense.” That alternative triggered headlines, drew heat from writers, but eventually placed her in a far stronger seat: producer. With Wednesday Season 2, Ortega now directs the darker course of Nevermore Academy itself.
Jenna Ortega’s Role In Reshaping Wednesday
Ortega first shared her behind-the-scenes struggle in an interview with Vanity Fair. She admitted, “Her being in a love triangle? It made no sense. There was a line a couple of dress she has to wear for a college dance, and she or he says, ‘Oh my god I like it. Ugh, I can’t consider I said that. I literally hate myself.’ I needed to go, ‘No.’ There have been times on that set where I even became almost unprofessional in a way where I just began changing lines.”
The Scream star also mentioned that this led to some tension with the writers. They were surprised when scenes were modified, and the performer would have to elucidate why she made those changes. Nonetheless, the timing of her comments caused some backlash. Soon after, Hollywood writers went on strike, and a few felt her words disrespected their work. Some writers made jokes or criticized her online. Others called her entitled or unprofessional, comparing her to other actors known for being difficult.
Later, in a reflective conversation, Jenna Ortega clarified that her delivery, not her concerns, created the storm. “To be fair. I believe I probably might have been… I probably could have used my words higher in describing all of that. I believe, oftentimes, I’m such a rambler,” she said. She added that the general public backlash felt “dystopian,” explaining how she sometimes felt like “a caricature of myself” as online commentary spun uncontrolled.
Jenna Ortega choreographed this dance scene in Wednesday herself.
pic.twitter.com/f91qtAQHVQ— cinesthetic. (@TheCinesthetic) July 22, 2025
Jenna Ortega Earned More Creative Power With Wednesday Season 2
What got here next was unexpected. Fairly than silencing her, the network gave her more authority. When Netflix confirmed Wednesday Season 2, Ortega was announced as each a producer and lead actor. That role gave her early access to creative planning – from script notes and character arcs to the general tone of the season.
It was the platform she had lacked in Season 1, transforming her from an actor revising lines to a voice helping set the blueprint. Jenna Ortega’s influence now sits at the middle of Wednesday. What began as on-the-spot edits has become creative leadership, setting the series on a more haunting and focused path for Season 2.
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