According to recent reports, Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega’s “natural-born diva” demeanor on the Beetlejuice 2 set allegedly left even industry veterans and co-stars like Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, who have decades of experience, feeling flabbergasted. Furthermore, the insider tipster maintained that even though the young actress’ potential and talent are blatant, her actions behind the scenes couldn’t be deemed affable or congenial.
Related: Jenna Ortega Hypes Up Michael Keaton’s Return in Beetlejuice 2 With an Exciting Update
Starring in Tim Burton’s follow-up to the 1988 Beetlejuice, the upcoming endeavor is among the most high-profile ventures, starring luminaries of renown, that Ortega has been a part of. If these bold reports are to be believed, which one should take with a grain of salt nevertheless, then the claims of the 21-year-old’s “cocky and confident” disposition might’ve raised a few eyebrows on the production.
Beetlejuice 2‘s Veteran Stars Have Allegedly Been Left Stunned By Jenna Ortega’s ‘Diva’ Attitude
An insider’s claims to the National Enquirer (via RadarOnline) suggest that on-screen sweetheart-turned-industry’s go-to contemporary scream queen Jenna Ortega wasn’t intending to make friends on the Beetlejuice 2 set. Instead, the actress’ alleged work-oriented, scene-nailing, near-perfectionist attitude has characterized her time there.
And this has shocked, apparently, even industry veterans. The Tim Burton-helmed sequel, besides featuring Ortega, sheds the spotlight on a star-studded cast headlined by Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder reprising their roles.
Even well-known figures like Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, and Monica Bellucci have graced the premise. Because these productions tend to be high-profile with high stakes, relative newcomers may feel intimidated and subject to nerve-wracking pressure. But Jenna Ortega reportedly challenged the norm.
As per the insider, the Scream alum is “cocky, confident, and born to do this kind of work,” Continuing, they claimed, “She loves being the center of a high-pressure production, with some of the biggest names in the industry.”
Ortega’s diva-like disposition, alongside a cast with decades of experience, has reportedly been a never-seen-before force for top stars like Keaton and Ryder to reckon with. The source said the following on the matter:
“These are people who collectively have decades and decades more experience than Jenna, but they’ve never encountered a natural-born diva like her,”
While her confidence serves to impress, it’s apparently her non-friendly approach that’s been heavily emphasized by the tipster, who claimed that a work-focused Ortega wasn’t there to win a Miss Congeniality trophy:
“She has the talent and … built up a huge fan base, but she won’t be winning any Miss Congeniality prizes for her attitude on set. She’s there to score points and nail scenes, usually on the first take, but clearly not there to make friends.”
Whether or not these claims are accurate and representative of the truth cannot be ascertained amid a pop-culture environment characterized by feeding into gossip fodder. For now, one of the only seasoned actors in Tim Burton’s forthcoming ensemble who has mentioned Ortega is Catherine O’Hara, and she doesn’t appear specifically put off by the Wednesday star.
Beetlejuice 2 Alum Catherine O’Hara Praised Co-star Jenna Ortega
Speaking to People recently about her experience of reprising her Beetlejuice role and stepping back into its whimsical, fantasy horror world, the 69-year-old Canadian actress, when asked about the cast’s newcomer Jenna Ortega, had only praises to sing in her name. She said the following:
“Jenna Ortega’s great. Love her. What a cool young woman. Wow.”
In the upcoming sequel, reports have suggested that the 21-year-old is slated to play the role of Winona Ryder’s in-storyline daughter, Astrid Deetz. The premise’s specifics, however, remain shrouded in mystery and continue to pique the interest of eager audiences. On the prospect of the Tim Burton-helmed film’s details, O’Hara maintained caution, claiming, “I don’t want to blow it for anyone. I don’t want to spoil the fun for anyone.”
We’re certainly excited to see what bizarre concoction of entertainment Beetlejuice 2 has planned for us.
Returning to the subject of Ortega’s demeanor on set, it is essential to remember that last year, during an interview, Burton—who also served as a director (of the first four episodes) and executive producer on Netflix’s Wednesday—said that the X star is “aware” of everything around her in addition to her role as an actress. Following was his statement (via BFI):
“She’s one of the most aware, not only as an actress, but everything—around the camera, the set. She’s a very special talent. And she’s done a lot of horror movies, which I love too. That gave her a special place in my heart.”
With claims like these made about the young star, there are certainly some doubts cast on the recent reports of her behind-the-scenes behavior. It will soon be known if her seasoned co-stars (or the actress herself) have something to say or imply about the recent assertions.
Beetlejuice 2 wrapped filming on November 30, 2023, and is slated for a theatrical release on September 6, 2024.
