Jenna Ortega garnered a huge fandom with her electrifying performance in the horror-comedy Netflix series Wednesday. Ortega’s popularity also stems from her strong performance in Scream and Scream VI. Her versatile acting and natural charm are enough to make anyone go speechless. However, I am pretty sure that not many of us know that the young actress has worked in several films that shouldn’t be ignored. So, what are you waiting for? Here’s the list of the 8 top movies Jenna Ortega has worked in.
8. Yes Day
- Release Date: March 12, 2021
- Director: Miguel Arteta
- Cast: Jennifer Garner, Édgar Ramírez, Jenna Ortega
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 5.7/52%
Yes Day revolves around a family led by Jennifer Garner’s Allison Torres and Édgar Ramírez’s Carlos Torres. They have three children, the eldest being the 14-year-old Katie, portrayed by Jenna Ortega, who convinces Allison and Edgar to participate in Yes Day, where they are not allowed to say ‘no’ even to the wildest demands of the kids.
The Jenna Ortega movie is enjoyable to watch, especially when viewed with family. Moreover, the young audience might relate to Jenna Ortega as Katie Torres. She is a rebel, she is beautiful, and she is one such teenager who sees her parents as fun-killers, so she plans out a day that will give her independence from her strict parents. Some fans noted that the movie loses its charm at times, but Ortega doesn’t lose the essence of the bold character and garnered praise from the global fandom, which saw her as a ‘very capable’ young actress.
7. The Babysitter: Killer Queen
- Release Date: September 10, 2020
- Director: McG
- Cast: Judah Lewis, Emily Alyn Lind, Jenna Ortega, Robbie Amell, Andrew Bachelor, Leslie Bibb, Hana Mae Lee, Bella Thorne, Samara Weaving, Ken Marino
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 5.8/46%
The Babysitter: Killer is set two years after the 2017 film, and follows Cole, who is now pursuing high school. Like earlier, the boy again gets haunted by the satanic enemies led by his former babysitter. They have returned as they want Cole’s blood for a ritual. When his parents fail to trust him with what’s going on in his life, a new girl, Pheobe (Jenna Ortega), enters the game.
This has been the first movie that pushed Ortega to unleash her action-hero energy. Apart from that, her sarcastic side and emotional depth made her a standout in the film.
6. Death of a Unicorn
- Release Date: March 28, 2025
- Director: Alex Scharfman
- Cast: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 5.9/53%
Death of a Unicorn revolves around Elliot Kintner and his daughter, Ridley. While travelling to the former’s boss’s estate, Elliot accidentally ends up injuring a unicorn. After that, he intentionally hits the creature with a tire iron and kills it. However, after reaching the Leopold estate, they discover that the unicorn is still alive and it has some incredible healing abilities. So, while Leopold thinks to exploit it, the vindictive parents of the unicorn hunt the group.
Death of a Unicorn couldn’t gain praise for its storytelling, but everyone applauded Jenna Ortega as she carried the film on her young shoulders gracefully.
5. Scream
- Release Date: January 14, 2022
- Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
- Cast: Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Neve Campbell
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 6.3/79%
Scream, or Scream 5, rebooted the franchise that began in 1996 by incorporating fresh elements alongside the nostalgic ones that were absolutely necessary to keep the old fans engaged. The film also brought back the original stars, Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell. However, no one can deny that the biggest draw of Scream 2022 was the intense opening scene featuring Jenna Ortega. The young actress portrayed the role of Tara Carpenter, who gets attacked by Ghostface at her own home.
While the film paid homage to the original films, it also captivated new fans with its modern settings. Every actor involved in the film did a phenomenal job, especially Jenna Ortega, who demonstrated her ability to convey resilience, fear, and vulnerability to any fictional character.
4. Scream VI
- Release Date: March 10, 2023
- Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
- Cast: Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Mason Gooding, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Jenna Ortega, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, Samara Weaving, Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 6.4/77%
Following the killings by Richie Kirsch and Amber Freeman, a student named Jason Carvey of Blackmore University decided to carry forward the legacy of the Ghostfaced killer. So, he wears the mask and starts hunting down the Carpenter sisters, killing everyone who comes between him and his targets. With the relentless suspense and high-stakes action/escape scenes, the movie is a total stunner that involves clever storytelling and spine-tingling horror.
Jenna Ortega’s character evolves in Scream VI. From a traumatized survivor, Tara Carpenter transitions into a brave fighter. No matter how dire the situation becomes, the girl is always prepared to face it with the most effective tactics. Apart from the jump scares, Tara and Sam’s complex relationship received a lot of traction.
3. X
- Release Date: March 18, 2022
- Director: Ti West
- Cast: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, Scott Mescudi
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 6.5/94%
X is one of the underrated films of all time that deserves all the attention. Featuring a 1979 setting, the film features a group of filmmakers who rent a place in an isolated rural area to shoot an adult film. However, the entire ordeal turns into a nightmare for all of them as they start getting haunted by the deceased owners of the place.
The film solidifies Jenna Ortega’s reputation as one of the actresses capable of portraying the most complex characters, particularly in horror and slasher films. Additionally, X features a retroaesthetic vibe and a top-notch eerie atmosphere that makes it one of the must-watch horror flicks.
2. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
- Release Date: September 6, 2024
- Director: Tim Burton
- Cast: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 6.6/75%
Taking place three decades after the 1988 film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice follows Lydia Deetz, who is now a mother and a paranormal talk show host. She struggles to manage her family after the death of her husband. Jenna Ortega plays the role of Astrid, Lydia’s estranged daughter, who mistakenly opens the portal to the Afterlife, unleashing Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice.
How can someone even think that the one who made Wednesday Addams a success won’t be able to fit into the shoes of Astrid? Well, it would be safe to say that no one else could have played Astrid the way Ortega did. Her prior experience in the dark gothic stories, such as Wednesday, contributed heavily to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
1. The Fallout
- Release Date: January 27, 2022
- Director: Megan Park
- Cast: Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Lumi Pollack, Will Ropp, John Ortiz, Julie Bowen, Shailene Woodley
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7/90%
The Fallout revolves around Vada Cavell, a high school student who is traumatized after surviving a school shooting. As an aftermath of the tragic incident that took the lives of 16 students, Vada starts dealing with trauma and grief. She gets distant from her family and her best friend Nick, and instead starts bonding with Mia, the one she hid with in the restroom after hearing the gunshot. The movie explores the themes of trauma, survivor’s guilt, and PTSD.
This movie is considered one of the best Jenna Ortega movies. It gave the actress an opportunity to showcase her true potential and turned out to be one of her standout appearances. Ortega was able to convey Vada’s inner turmoil through her expressions, and I can hardly put into words how excellent her performance was during the panic attack scenes and those where she was seeing a therapist.
Aparna Ukil
