Jenna Ortega said she nearly walked away from acting after her Disney Channel years, but her role in "You" helped change her mind and keep her in Hollywood.

Ortega's early career centered on family-friendly TV, including "Stuck in the Middle," where she played Harley Diaz from 2016 to 2018. Reports about her comments describe that period as physically and emotionally demanding, with long shooting days and a stressful production environment.

In interviews about that time, Ortega said the show's schedule was intense, with production often shooting two episodes a week and requiring weekend work to complete school hours. She also described behind-the-scenes conflict among the child actors' parents and said the atmosphere could become difficult, according to Deadline.

That experience made it hard for her to see a long-term future in acting. Coverage of her remarks says she considered quitting multiple times because she felt caught between roles written for younger performers and parts meant for older actors.

Her career path changed when she was cast as Ellie Alves in "You," the Netflix thriller that introduced her to a wider adult audience. Ortega has said that the role helped her realize she did not want to give up on the profession, even after a period of doubt.

After "You," Ortega took on darker and more dramatic projects, including "The Fallout" and the "Scream" films, and her career continued to expand into high-profile studio and streaming work, Latinas Magazine reported.

In "Wednesday," Ortega became the face of the Addams Family spinoff and turned the series into one of Netflix's biggest hits. The role made her one of the most visible young stars in entertainment and gave her a stronger foothold in mainstream television.

She also returned to major franchise films with "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," which kept her visible in theatrical releases.

"Death of a Unicorn" also reached theaters, opening in North America on Mar. 28, 2025, after its SXSW premiere earlier that month. Ortega starred in the A24 film with Paul Rudd, as per Rolling Stone.

Tags
Jenna Ortega, Hollywood, Disney Channel, You