Jenna Ortega has been riding the wave of fame in recent times. The young actress gained recognition with her portrayal of the iconic character of Wednesday Addams. The show when released on Netflix passed the watch hours of most watched shows on Netflix; Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story and Stranger Things within the first month. Jenna Ortega movies and TV shows not only made her the favorite star icon of Gen Zs, but she also ruled the Halloween season making Wednesday Addams one of the most preferred costumes.
Ortega is not a newcomer to the industry and has been a part of it since a young age. She sure shines in Gothic attires and storylines, but Ortega has also been part of Disney’s Stuck in the Middle and Jane the Virgin. These were, in fact, her breakthrough roles.
With her most awaited future project, Beetlejuice 2, take a ride with us and look back at the best movies and TV shows to date.
10. Stuck In The Middle (2016-2018)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | NA |
| Release Date | 14 February 2016 |
| Created By | Alison Brown, Linda Videtti Figueiredo |
Stuck in the Middle is the Jenna Ortega TV show that cemented her place as a Disney star. The show aired from 2016 to 2018 and belongs to the younger era of Ortega’s career where she was not the GenZ’s spooky queen. The show helped her land many other projects on the Disney Channel as her work was appreciated by critics.
The series is about the struggles of Harley Diaz, played by Ortega, who is a middle child and hence feels stuck in between. She copes with it with her clever and innovative engineering skills like designing a conveyor belt for the dining table.
9. The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 46% |
| Release Date | 10 September 2020 |
| Directed By | McG |
The Babysitter: Killer Queen is the sequel to the 2017 hit The Babysitter. Jenna already impressed the viewers with this one as the sequel had high expectations from the audience due to the immense success of its predecessor. The movie only has a few aspects of the slasher scenes compared to the Killer Queen.
While the protagonist, played by Judah Lewis, was all on his own in the previous part but this time he had a little help from Jenna’s character, Phoebe Atwell, who was a new student at his school. However, even though the reviews weren’t as sparkling as one may think, Jenna’s performance was much more commendable.
8. Yes Day (2021)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 52% |
| Release Date | 12 March 2021 |
| Directed By | Miguel Arteta |
Yes Day will hit home no matter what age bracket you belong to. From being a kid who can’t take a ‘no’ to being an adult who has to say ‘no’ on many occasions, we all grew up. The plot revolves around the Torres family whose lives have been a long loop of ‘nos’ since they had three kids.
This Jenna Ortega movie saw her playing the character of the eldest child, Katie, who is a haughty teenager. She wishes her parents to be not as strict as they are. Katie’s school came up with the idea of a ‘yes’ day where parents have to say yes to everything their kids ask on certain terms and conditions. The family’s ‘yes’ day turns out to be a rollercoaster ride with highs and lows keeping the audience entertained throughout.
7. American Carnage (2022)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 58% |
| Release Date | 15 July 2022 |
| Directed By | Diego Hallivis |
We could not get enough of the punkish Jenna Ortega in American Carnage 2022. The plot revolves around the children of undocumented immigrants who are arrested for being illegal immigrants. They are given the chance to drop off any charges against them if they prove to be good caretakers of some elderly group of citizens.
The plot is nothing impressive and feels like a mix of Get Out and New Mutants. Nonetheless, works well as a one-time watch with the young star cast. The movie received appreciation for highlighting one of the major issues faced by society today. This is one of the Jenna Ortega movies that was commended for her range of versatility as she played the character of Camila.
Also Read: From Disney Star to the Emmy Award Winner: List of Zendaya’s Best Movie and Series to Binge Watch
6. Wednesday (2022-Present)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 72% |
| Release Date | 23 November 2022 |
| Created By | Miles Millar, Alfred Gough |
Jenna Ortega took the creepy and gothic character of Wednesday Addams to a whole new level. The character feels tailor-made for Ortega, from the viral macabre dance, her costumes, and her hairstyle. Wednesday is undoubtedly one of the iconic Jenna Ortega movies and TV shows.
Tim Burton’s Wednesday made the actress an international star. She once again proved no role is complex enough for her and that she can carry a whole show on her shoulders. She also received an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance.
5. Scream VI (2023)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 76% |
| Release Date | 10 March 2023 |
| Directed By | Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin |
Scream VI is the latest installment in the cult classic slasher, Scream franchise. The movie belongs to Jenna Ortega as she has the most screen time, thanks to her star power. She once again proved why she is called the queen of the horror genre. She reprised her character of Tara Carpenter alongside Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, and none other than Courteney Cox.
The movie made sure to stick to the classic 90’s storyline with more focus on the jump scares than on the overall plot. The movie made sure to add an element of romance amidst the chaos with Tara and Chad’s chemistry. We hope to see more of their budding romance in the upcoming installments.
4. You Season 2 (2018-Present)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 91% |
| Release Date | 9 September 2018 |
| Created By | Greg Berlanti, Sera Gamble |
You is one of the most-watched thriller series on Netflix and is based on a book by Caroline Kepnes. The plot is about a charming and intensely obsessive man who goes to an extreme extent for “love.” Jenna joined the show in season 2, she plays the character of Ellie, the neighbor of the dangerous psycho serial killer protagonist; Joe. However, Joe somehow kills Ellie’s elder sister, Ellie is still unknown about the fact that who did it.
The series helped Ortega break her image of a Disney star kid and navigate more into the adult acting realm. Ortega’s character is a crucial part of the story as she is the only one for whom our obsessive villain has a soft corner. She portrayed the emotional depth of the character perfectly and as an audience, we can’t help but sympathize with Elve’s life.
Also Read: From Teen Heartthrob to Versatile Actor: Witness The Evolution of Actor via Zac Efron Movies
3. The Fallout (2022)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 93% |
| Release Date | 27 January 2022 |
| Directed By | Megan Park |
The Fallout is once again a Jenna Ortega movie that touches on the sensitive subject of school shootings. The plot revolves around two girls Vada, played by Ortega, and Mia, played by Maddie Ziegler. The movie advises viewer discretion as the content might be triggering to some audience.
The movie has the raw emotions of teenagers who survived a tragic event. Now they have to navigate through life without letting the incident affect them. This is one of the Jenna Ortega movies that witnessed her mature acting as she effortlessly connects the audience with the trauma and we can’t help but be shaken by the intensity of her acting.
2. X (2022)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 94% |
| Release Date | 18 March 2022 |
| Directed By | Ti West |
X is a mastermind slasher film by Ti West. The movie is set in the 1970s in a rural farmhouse owned by an elderly couple, where a group of friends arrive to shoot an adult movie. As the sun sets, the group realizes that they might not be safe at the farmhouse.
Mia Goth was commended for her work in the movie as she plays the dual role of Pearl, the elderly landlady, and Maxine. X was released after The Babysitter: Killer Queen and further cemented Ortega’s status as the new-gen scream queen. Hence making it one of the must-watch Jenna Ortega movies. The way her character escalates toward the end of the movie is worth watching again and again. X works like a sequel to Mia and David Corenswet’s Pearl.
1. Jane the Virgin (2014-2019)
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 100% |
| Release Date | 13 October 2014 |
| Created By | Jennie Synder Urman |
Jane the Virgin is hands down one of the best TV shows of Jenna Ortega during her Disney days. If you have never watched the series you gotta give it a try just for the work of Ortega. Her acting was way beyond her age and it is not surprising that she has become one of the most successful actresses within such a short period.
Ortega played the younger version of Jane Villanueva, who swears that she will never repeat the mistake of her mother and have children early in life. But things start to go downhill when she gets pregnant. Through flashbacks, we get a glimpse into her childhood and get a better understanding of why she does not want to have the child.
Conclusion
Jenna Ortega movies and TV shows are testimony to the actress’s undeniable talent. She was clearly born to be a star in one or the other way. Being one of the youngest actresses has never stopped her from taking on some of the most challenging roles. She has multiple projects lined up for the future, including, Miller’s Girl, Beetlejuice 2, and Winter Spring Summer of Fall.
Soumya Nair is an entertainment industry enthusiast who loves to write and bring in all the gossip and news to everyone interested. She always make sure to keep a keen eye on everything that goes behind the glam and glitter of the industry.
