Wednesday Writers Address Script Criticisms Made by Jenna Ortega

As a devoted fan of Jenna Ortega‘s captivating performance as Wednesday, I can’t help but appreciate her unwavering dedication to her craft and her boldness in voicing her opinions about the scripts. It’s fascinating to see how young talent like Jenna navigates the intense limelight, making mistakes along the way, just like the rest of us.


2022 saw Netflix’s “Wednesday” emerge as a standout TV series, catapulting its lead actress Jenna Ortega into prominence. This newfound fame brought about an influx of media interest towards her. During these numerous interviews, the star candidly admitted that she had criticisms regarding the show’s scripts, particularly concerning Wednesday’s characterization and the storylines being pursued. The series’ creators, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, acknowledge Ortega’s viewpoints and are familiar with the challenges that come with young talent skyrocketing into popular culture, as they closely monitor all comments made by their stars under the spotlight.

In response to questions from The Hollywood Reporter concerning Ortega’s script criticism, Gough explained, “It can be challenging. We’ve worked on a few successful shows, including Smallville, which gained immediate popularity. With young stars under the limelight, they’re bound to make mistakes and say things that might not sit well. It’s essential to show them understanding and remember that such incidents are inevitable. They’re never enjoyable, but they’re just part of the job. At this point, I believe the internet will act as it usually does. The last thing you want is to fuel these situations more by giving them attention.

It’s apparent that there’s no animosity or tension among the parties, given that Ortega previously worked with Gough and Millar on “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” and they are all participating in Season 2 of “Wednesday” together.

Millar noted that they collaborate closely with Jenna on the show, and their previous work together includes “Beetlejuice”. He emphasized that working with her is a delightful and collaborative process. This year, they have welcomed her as a producer. Jenna is an immensely talented and hardworking young actress, and they are fortunate to have her on their team. While there may be gossip surrounding the show due to its size, it doesn’t reflect their or Jenna’s reality.

In 2023, Ortega first expressed these thoughts during an interview on the podcast, Armchair Expert. She pondered over her insistent stance regarding script revisions, describing it as somewhat unconventional or passionate.

The actor admitted that on occasion during filming, he acted in an unprofessional manner by altering lines spontaneously. The script supervisor believed I was improvising, but then they would need to discuss with the writers because they were puzzled about what had happened to the scene and why I couldn’t follow the original script.

Discussing the parts that seemed out of place, Ortega elaborated, “Nothing about her actions or scenes assigned to me aligned with her character whatsoever … Her involvement in a love triangle was illogical. There was a scene involving a dress she had to wear for a school dance and she exclaimed, ‘Oh my goodness, I love it! I can’t believe I said that. I literally despise myself.’ This reaction didn’t fit her character at all, so I found it unconvincing.

Season 2 of Wednesday is currently in production and is expected to premiere in 2025.

What do you think of the writers’ remarks? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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2024-09-13 02:10