Gen Z's Scream Queen
Jenna Marie Ortega, the fourth of six siblings. Her father is a former sheriff who works at a California district attorney's office, is of Mexican descent, and her mother, who is of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, works as an ER nurse. She wanted to act from the age of six and begged her mother to let her pursue a career for three years. Her mother attempted to distract her with other activities, including soccer and school. Ortega almost quit pursuing acting to participate in the former. Her mother later bought her a monologue book and posted a video of nine-year-old Ortega performing. A casting director watched the video and signed her to an agency.
She struggled to secure parts because few roles for Latinas existed and she "didn't look a certain way"; such experiences damaged her self-esteem. She considered dyeing her hair blonde in an attempt to book more roles. She stopped going to public school during eighth grade to act in Disney projects and got an apartment in Los Angeles after securing a role in Stuck in The Middle. She considered quitting acting several times, saying that she "was too old for the young roles and too young for the older roles".
"Because I naturally tend to be sarcastic or dry, it's very easy for me to find myself in trouble ... People see your vulnerability and twist it in a way that you don't always expect."
Ortega stated that she would like to be a "private person" and not discuss her romantic life publicly, believing that it distracts audiences from her work. Her friends and family give her a sense of safety that helps her deal with the more challenging parts of her career, adding that her family keep her feet on the ground. Growing up in an industry dominated by adults forced her to mature faster than normal but she loves her life and that she's accomplished so much in a short time.
As a private person she doesn't like to discuss her relationships but lately she's been talking to Seth MacFarlane. She's not sure if it will go anywhere or not due to his age and work schedule. While she understands work like everyone else, if you're into someone then you can always make time for them. If he can change then maybe he has a chance but time will tell. Her closest friends are @carpesabrina, @joeykingrp and @olivisrigorp Knowing all the drama involving some of them, she remains neutral and listened to both sides equally. She's glad that time has healed those wounds to some extent and doesn't feel so in the middle now.
