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Jenna Ortega Says She Nearly Quit Acting Before Landing Netflix’s You

Her podcast account underscores the tough shift from kids’ TV to adult roles that often forces young actors to reintroduce themselves.

Overview

  • Ortega told Kid Cudi on his Big Bro podcast on Wednesday that she was ready to leave acting after her children’s TV run.
  • She said she and her team discussed quitting for months as she started high school and faced meeting casting directors who did not know her work.
  • Landing Ellie Alves on Netflix’s You in 2019 reignited her passion for the job and set up later breakout roles that included Scream, X, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Wednesday.
  • She also revealed she auditioned as a child for Ari Aster’s Hereditary and said she handled not getting the part as a normal rejection.
  • Recent coverage notes the pressure that followed Wednesday, a rare four‑month break she initially found scary, and some outlets report a scheduling conflict may have kept her from returning to You.