All about Jenna Ortega behind the role of Wednesday: Age, height and ethnicity explored

The Netflix show, Wednesday, has captivated audiences. It's fantastical, gothic charm is rebooting the classic Addams Family franchise for a new generation. Born from the minds of Alfred Gough, Miles Millar and Tim Burton, this series follows Wednesday Addams, an eye-rolling, sarcastic teenage girl with a penchant for ghosts over people, figuring out creepy mysteries, and embodying the chaotic supernatural phenomenon of Nevermore Academy, a school for strangely supernatural people.

The release of Wednesday in 2022 proved to be an instant smash hit, generating millions of viewers, dark humour, a spooky flavor and a great cast. A real shining star of the cast is Jenna Ortega, who has become the role of Wednesday Addams, so with the day of the release of Season 2 here, it is only fitting to pay thanks to Ortega for the beauty and genius she has embodied in the role.

Jenna Ortega as Wednesday is a blend of deadpan sass, ice-cold charm, and a subtle smirk that suggests she is three steps ahead. It's as if she were born to play this iconic character, getting the right touch on every sarcastic line and lip curl with the kind of vibe that can only be a chef's kiss. We see her playing the cello for one of the musical and dance episodes, and research references in simple German for a few episodes. She even read Charles Addams' comic strips to stay true to Wednesday's sardonic nature. She would practice with Wednesday's flat-faced look without blinking and had thoughtful movement choices.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Jenna Ortega (@jennaortega)

As Wednesday's Season 2 progresses on Netflix, it is more than just a sequel to a great kid-friendly show but also Ortega's role has progressed from actor to executive producer with creative say over everything from costumes to scripts. The show has given her recognition for her performance and is now being considered for nominations for a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award.

All About Jenna Ortega: Her journey of transformation

Jenna Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, in the Coachella Valley, California and was only 19 when filming Wednesday Season 1 in 2021. With the release of Season 2 in 2025, Ortega is 22 years old, and now feels younger age-wise than her teenage Wednesday character. A large part of this is due to the show's unique styling with braided pigtails, black and white costume, light make-up. Ortega's re-transitioning into Wednesday with a three-year gap is no small feat, especially since Season 2 goes further down darker plots and twists and turns in complexity.

Ortega possesses a perfect, petite height, 5'1" (1.55m), that matches Wednesday's character, who, regardless of her diminutive stature, is meant to be a feral, savage beast. Ortega's dark and expressive eyes and angular features possess a quality for Wednesday that could be intense and sometimes hypnotizing, whether she is figuring out a murder mystery, or serving a savage zinger to a friend or foe.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Jenna Ortega (@jennaortega)

Jenna Ortega has taken pride in representing her Latino community. Her family is Mexican and Puerto Rican. Her father, Edward, is Mexican, and her mother, Natalie, is Mexican and Puerto Rican. Ortega acknowledged that being a Latina and trying to break into Hollywood wasn't going to be simple, even if she hailed from an "extra-large" blended family along with six siblings.

Ortega reflected on when she first experienced casting barriers and ethnicity barriers, as well as typecasting in a Pop Sugar interview from 2016, and more recently said she is proud of her roots. Ortega has used her platform as a celebrity to also call for more authenticity.

Besides her lead role in Netflix's movie Wednesday as Wednesday Addams, Ortega was also seen in the films Scream (2022), X (2022) and The Fallout (2021). Ortega has marked herself as an actress in a different category of movie, including horror, drama and thriller (and she represents a strong ability and role in emotional understanding). Ortega also played Ellie Alves in Netflix's popular series You, where she exuded her skills in conveying depth in multi-faceted characters. In addition, Ortega has stepped into her voice as an activist expressing immigrant rights, anti-discrimination, and mental health issues.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Jenna Ortega (@jennaortega)

She routinely comments on the importance of taking care of mental health in interviews and engages with people through her authenticity, honesty and relatability. She has established herself as a beloved celebrity and role model of others, young and old, around the world. As season 2 of Wednesday airs, Ortega is an interesting actress and creative all-in-one entity, who shares her pride as a member of the culture of Spain with her indefinable commitment to her craft.

Make sure you watch her nail-biting performance in Wednesday Season 2 streaming on Netflix, where the doomed daughter from The Addams Family shines brighter than ever.