Jenna Ortega’s life flipped upside down when Wednesday hit Netflix in 2022, making her a global star as the iconic Wednesday Addams. The show smashed records as Netflix’s biggest English-language series ever, racking up 252.1 million views. But in a candid chat with Harper’s Bazaar on May 29, 2025, Ortega shared that the fame that came with it left her feeling “unhappy” and misunderstood, giving us a raw look at what it’s like to be thrust into the spotlight.
Ortega, who started acting as a kid in shows like Jane the Virgin and You, wasn’t ready for the intense scrutiny that followed Wednesday. “I was an unhappy person,” she told Harper’s Bazaar, describing how the show’s wild success felt overwhelming. Sure, it opened doors—like learning the cello and embracing Wednesday’s Gothic vibe—but it also meant every little thing she did was dissected online. “I felt incredibly misunderstood,” she said, pointing to social media as a big source of stress. The 22-year-old also admitted to feeling “patronized” by being seen as the young star in a schoolgirl outfit, complete with pigtails and a plaid skirt. “You just don’t feel like you’re being taken seriously,” she explained, noting how the Wednesday look made her feel stuck in a box even as she tackled more grown-up roles.
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She’s got a sharp sense of humor about it, though. In an IndieWire interview, Ortega laughed that Wednesday Addams would “hate” the show’s commercialization. “She’s an outsider, but now she’s on cereal boxes and T-shirts,” she said, poking fun at the irony of a misfit like Wednesday becoming a pop culture cash cow. It’s a weird spot for Ortega, living the kind of fame her character would roll her eyes at, all while navigating the pressure herself.
Ortega’s in a better headspace now as she works on Wednesday Season 2, which drops in two parts on August 6 and September 3, 2025. She told CinemaBlend she’s found her footing, thanks to throwing herself into her work and taking on new projects, like executive producing A24’s Death of a Unicorn and starring in Hurry Up Tomorrow with The Weeknd and Barry Keoghan. “I was an unhappy person, but that’s changed,” she said, sounding more confident. She’s even got her sights on directing, with a script she’s been tweaking for nearly a decade, as she shared with V Magazine. Working with Wednesday co-star Emma Myers also helps—she told Variety that Myers’ professionalism makes their scenes “go completely smoothly.”
With Wednesday Season 2 bringing more Nevermore Academy chaos (plus new faces like Steve Buscemi and Christopher Lloyd), Ortega’s star is still climbing. But she’s not here to be defined by one role. Her bold Balmain gown at the 2025 Met Gala screamed she’s owning her style and stepping into her own as an actor. Fame’s not easy—especially when you’re young and the world’s watching—but Ortega’s proving she’s got the grit to carve her own path.