Jenna Ortega Isn’t In The Final Season Of You Because Of Wednesday, But The Creators Had Ideas For Her Character’s Return

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SPOILERS are ahead for You Season 5, now streaming for Netflix subscribers.

As a passionate cinephile, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Season 5 of “You” this week, marking the conclusion of this captivating series that Netflix has graced us with over seven years. The fifth season features a delightful array of cameos from actors across previous seasons, but if you were like me, hoping to see the return of Ellie Alves portrayed by Jenna Ortega, I’m afraid you might be left feeling let down. Ortega has been engrossed in filming her new project “Wednesday”, and although the creators initially envisioned a comeback for her character, it doesn’t seem to be part of this season’s narrative.

Jenna Ortega was unable to reprise her role as Ellie in Season 4 of “You” because of scheduling conflicts with her work on “Wednesday.” She expressed feelings of sadness and disappointment about this situation, which apparently repeated itself during the final season. According to Michael Foley, the showrunner of “You,” this was reported to Business Insider.

The issue was compounded because she had a commitment on Wednesday in Ireland, and it appeared unfeasible to find a solution. In simpler terms, we found it difficult to come up with a plan that could be executed under those circumstances.

Although Jenna Ortega’s character, Ellie, didn’t reappear on the show after Season 2 due to her involvement in “Wednesday”, the creators had plans for Ellie’s return in Season 5. They suggested that Ellie might have joined the cast as a benefactor to Dominique and Phoenix, who were working tirelessly throughout the season to incarcerate Penn Badgley’s character, Joe. Foley also mentioned this point: Ellie would have helped them in their mission, and they were eventually successful.

Initially, it seemed plausible that we might be able to pull this off, but unfortunately, we couldn’t manage to do so.

It appears as though the creators were devising a plot twist that would eventually pit Ellie against Joe, but during an interview, co-showrunner Justin W. Lo shared a different perspective on Ortega’s character.

While Joe may have been supportive during a tough period in Ellie’s life, making a case for his favoritism, it’s also plausible that Ellie is intelligent enough to suspect Joe’s involvement in her sister’s death. Consequently, she might have chosen to oppose him as well, even if the circumstances involved love.

As I watched Jenna Ortega grace the screen during Season 2 of “You,” I couldn’t help but notice the young actress who was still relatively unknown at the time, having yet to make a big splash with roles in shows like “Scream” and “Wednesday,” both released in 2022. In the series, she played Joe’s neighbor as he moved from New York to Los Angeles in search of a fresh start. Our characters became more than just acquaintances, and Joe grew fond of her. Unfortunately, the tragic twist was that Ellie’s older sister was brutally murdered by Love Quinn, Joe’s love interest for the season, portrayed by Victoria Pedretti.

Ellie’s relationship with you concluded amicably as Joe provided her funds to relocate to Florida. Since her last appearance, there might be a chance she realized that Joe played a part and collaborated with Dominique and Phoenix to bring him down. This could have enriched the final season’s plot, leaving us with conflicting emotions, but nevertheless! We eagerly await Jenna Ortega’s return to Wednesday when the second season debuts on August 2, 2025.

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2025-04-26 16:08