Jenna Ortega Nearly Quit Acting Before Netflix You Role — SkimNews
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- Jenna Ortega said on Kid Cudi’s Big Bro podcast that she almost quit acting after her 2016‑18 run on Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle.
- Netflix offered Ortega the role of Ellie Alves in Season 2 of You, which she credits with convincing her “there’s no way” she could give up acting.
- Jenna Ortega was starting high school and had been discussing a career pause with her team for months before the You offer.
- Jenna Ortega later appeared in the Scream franchise, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Death of a Unicorn, the title role in Netflix’s Wednesday, and co‑starred with Kid Cudi in Ti West’s 2022 slasher X.
- The Gallerist—premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January—will feature Ortega alongside Natalie Portman as her next project.
Why it matters: Ortega’s decision to stay after landing the *You* role fuels her continued presence in high‑profile projects, securing talent for Netflix and upcoming indie films, while illustrating how a single casting break can dramatically and significantly reverse a child star’s career uncertainty.
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