Jenna Ortega says she signed on for Netflix hit show Wednesday “with hesitance”, after previously feeling unheard within the industry.
The US actress, 20, said she had “put her foot down” when production began and that it had ultimately been “a very collaborative experience”.
Ortega will return as the star and producer of series two of the show, in which she plays Wednesday Addams of The Addams Family fame, alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter’s comedy actress roundtable she said that the best on-set environments had been those with people who “wanted to hear different opinions”.
“I’ve had experiences in TV where I felt my voice wasn’t heard, that I was meant to be a puppet,” she said.
“From 12-years-old, I’ve been hearing things like that. So, I went into Wednesday with hesitance.”
She added that she had been “fortunate” to work with producer Tim Burton, who had engaged with her on a daily basis about the show and her role.
“I think that because… I know what it’s like to be a people pleaser in this industry… when I went into Wednesday I really put my foot down and made it clear that everything that I had to say mattered and was heard,” she said.
“As the show went on, we all got a better feel for one another and it’s become a really collaborative experience.
“I feel really lucky to be able to be in the room early next season and be talking about scripts and giving notes.”
The first season of Wednesday, released in November on Netflix, saw Ortega’s character become embroiled in a supernatural murder mystery.
"I'm not just here to smile."
Jenna Ortega, Elle Fanning, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Natasha Lyonne, Ayo Edebiri and Devery Jacobs join the #THRRoundtable to talk fighting stereotypes, digesting gross notes and the prospect of playing Pete Davidson’s girlfriend: https://t.co/JXOQUixWo0 pic.twitter.com/sthLbRqDCd
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 6, 2023
The series, also starring Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams and Luis Guzman as Gomez, received wide critical acclaim.
Ortega was nominated for a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award for her performance and won the MTV Movie and TV Award for best performance in a show.
Netflix is yet to confirm a release date for the second series of Wednesday.