Actor Jenna Ortega has recently revealed that she was on the verge of quitting acting just before she landed her breakthrough role in the hit Netflix series โYouโ.
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After moving on from children’s television, Ortega admitted that she began to doubt her future in the industry as a teenager.
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“I didn’t know what else I was gonna do,” Ortega said in an interview, reflecting on a period of uncertainty after leaving early projects.
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She felt forced to reintroduce herself to casting directors and prove her versatility, a challenge so daunting she nearly walked away from acting entirely.
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“It just felt like a good time to call it quits if I was going to,” she added, noting that discussions about stepping away had gone on for months with her team.
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Ortega began her career with roles in shows such as โRichie Richโ and โStuck in the Middleโ.
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However, the uncertainty of transitioning into more mature roles led her to briefly consider ending her acting journey.
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The turning point came in 2019 when she was cast as Ellie Alves in season 2 of โYouโ. Her character, the neighbour of Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, marked a significant shift in her career.
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Recalling her experience on set, Ortega said she immediately connected with the work. “I loved it and had the best time,” she said, adding, “I thought, ‘Yeah, there’s no way I could let this go.'”
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Since then, Ortega’s career has seen a steady rise. She has headlined films such as โXโ, โScream VIโ, โBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceโ and โDeath of a Unicornโ.
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She also leads Netflix’s Emmy-winning series โWednesdayโ.