Career Timeline of Jenna Ortega: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Jenna Ortega made an impact.

Jenna Marie Ortega is an American actress, recognized for her contributions to the horror genre, earning her the title "Gen Z's scream queen." She has been featured on The Hollywood Reporter's Power 100 list (2023) and Forbes 30 Under 30 list (2024), highlighting her influence and achievements in the entertainment industry.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1992: Single White Female Release Year

In 1992, the thriller film "Single White Female" was released, which Ortega is attached to co-star and produce a remake titled "Single Female" opposite Taylor Russell.

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2016: Organized a Meet-and-Greet for Charity

In 2016, Jenna Ortega organized a meet-and-greet event for fans to raise money for a young girl with cancer.

December 26, 2019: Release of You Season 2

On December 26, 2019, the second season of the Netflix thriller series You, in which Ortega played Ellie Alves, was released and received positive reviews. Robyn Bahr of The Hollywood Reporter noted Ortega as "a standout performer".

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2019: Appeared at We Day Benefit Concerts

In 2019, Jenna Ortega appeared at numerous We Day benefit concerts across the U.S. and Canada to raise funds for WE Charity.

September 2020: Release of The Babysitter: Killer Queen

In September 2020, Netflix released The Babysitter: Killer Queen, a horror film in which Ortega played Phoebe, the love interest of Judah Lewis's character. The movie received negative critical reviews.

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2020: Named Neutrogena Brand Ambassador

In 2020, Jenna Ortega was named a brand ambassador for Neutrogena and was the face of its "My Quinceañera Journey" campaign.

March 2021: Release of Yes Day

In March 2021, the comedy movie Yes Day, starring Ortega as a stubborn teenager, was released on Netflix to mixed reviews. IndieWire lauded Ortega as "very capable", and the Associated Press referred to her as "an impressively poised young actor".

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March 17, 2021: Premiere of The Fallout at South by Southwest

On March 17, 2021, The Fallout, a high-school drama film starring Ortega, premiered at South by Southwest. The film received a positive response from critics, and Ortega's acting was applauded.

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May 2021: Ortega cast as Wednesday Addams

In May 2021, Ortega was cast as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix comedy-horror series Wednesday. The casting team felt her portrayal offered the character the necessary empathy.

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2021: Expressed Desire to Avoid Typecasting

In 2021, Jenna Ortega told Entertainment Tonight that she did not want to be pigeonholed as an actor and desired to accept diverse roles.

January 27, 2022: Release of The Fallout on HBO Max

On January 27, 2022, the high-school drama film The Fallout, starring Ortega, was released on HBO Max. The film received a positive response from critics, and Ortega's acting was applauded.

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March 2023: Hosting Saturday Night Live and Scream VI Release

In March 2023, Ortega hosted an episode of NBC's sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live. Additionally, Scream VI, in which Ortega reprised her role as Tara Carpenter, was released in March 2023 and grossed over $169 million.

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November 2023: Ortega's Exit from Scream Franchise

In November 2023, Ortega exited the Scream franchise after her co-star Melissa Barrera was fired due to her pro-Palestinian comments on the Gaza war. Ortega stated a subsequent film did not appear to be the "right move" due to the changing cast and crew.

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2023: Became Adidas and Dior Ambassador

In 2023, Jenna Ortega became an ambassador for Adidas and Dior, and was the face of Adidas Sportswear and one of the faces of the #DareInGrisDior campaign.

2023: Expressed Conflict About Violent Film Association

In 2023, Jenna Ortega said she is mindful of not becoming overly associated with violent films and feels very conflicted about her interests.

2023: Signed Letter Urging Ceasefire in Gaza Strip

In 2023, as part of Artists4Ceasefire, Jenna Ortega signed a letter urging the United States Congress and President Joe Biden to call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

February 2024: Starred in Doritos Super Bowl Ad

In February 2024, Jenna Ortega starred in an advertisement for Doritos that aired at the Super Bowl LVIII.

2024: Starred in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

In 2024, Jenna Ortega starred in Burton's fantasy film "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice", a sequel to "Beetlejuice (1988)", playing Astrid Deetz. The film opened at the 81st Venice International Film Festival and grossed $451 million worldwide.

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2024: Starred in Miller's Girl and Winter Spring Summer or Fall

In 2024, Jenna Ortega starred in the drama "Miller's Girl", playing Cairo Sweet, a high schooler in a complicated relationship with her teacher. She also appeared in the romantic drama "Winter Spring Summer or Fall", which premiered at the Tribeca Festival, playing Remi Aguilar, a driven genius who falls in love with a rebellious musician. Ortega also starred in the music video for Sabrina Carpenter's song "Taste".

2025: Reprised Role in Wednesday Season 2 and Served as Producer

In 2025, Jenna Ortega reprised her role as Wednesday in the second season of "Wednesday", also becoming a producer for the season. Upon the season's release, her performance continued to receive positive reviews.

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2025: Starred in Death of a Unicorn

In 2025, Jenna Ortega starred in the dark comedy "Death of a Unicorn" as a daughter who accidentally kills a unicorn with her father. She also featured in Trey Edward Shults' "Hurry Up Tomorrow", playing Anima, a troubled young woman.