Latest news with #DeathofaUnicorn
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
The curse of being Wednesday
Jenna Ortega might have conquered Netflix, but she didn't come out of Wednesday unscathed. In a refreshingly candid interview with Harper's Bazaar, Ortega revealed that the massive success of her gothic teen character left her more disoriented than delighted. "To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person," she admitted. "The pressure and the attention, as somebody who's quite introverted, was so intense and scary." With over 250 million views, Wednesday is Netflix's most-watched English-language show. But for Ortega, its impact has been double-edged. One side is creative opportunity; she's learned to play the cello, embraced a darker personal aesthetic, and landed edgy roles in A24's Death of a Unicorn and Taika Waititi's Klara and the Sun. The other side is the brutal social media surveillance, career typecasting, and the suffocating trap of image maintenance. "I'm doing a show I'm going to be doing for years where I play a schoolgirl. But I'm also a young woman," she said. "There's just something about it that's very patronising. Also, when you're short, people are already physically looking down on you." For Ortega, who's grown up in front of the camera, from Disney darling to Addams icon, the push-pull between public expectation and personal evolution is real. "You know, it's like how you're dressed in the schoolgirl costume. Girls, if they don't stay as this perfect image of how they were first introduced to you, then it's, 'Ah, something's wrong. She's changed. She sold her soul.'" She's also experienced the uglier side of online fame. "I feel like being a bully is very popular right now," she said. "Having been on the wrong side of the rumour mill was incredibly eye-opening." Fame, for all its perks, can feel more like a trapdoor than a platform. Still, Ortega isn't abandoning the fans that catapulted her to stardom. "I want to be able to give back to them. But I also want to do things that are creatively fulfilling to me," she explained. "It's finding that balance. [I want roles that are] older and bolder and different." Ortega's career is clearly at a crossroads, and she's steering with intention. Between indie art films and blockbuster sequels, she's carving out space to grow, stumble, evolve. And with Wednesday Season 2 dropping in two parts this August, audiences will once again fall under her spell. But if Ortega has her way, they'll start to see past the pigtails.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
'Wednesday' Success Left Jenna Ortega an 'Unhappy Person'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors 'Wednesday' is easily one of the most beloved shows on Netflix. The first season of the critically acclaimed series is also the most popular on the streaming platform, totaling 252.1 million views. Here's a deep dark look at the misery and mystery awaiting you in Wednesday Season 2. — Netflix (@netflix) May 20, 2025 A large part of this success is because of the excellent performance from Jenna Ortega, who has used the success to go on and star in films like 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,' 'Scream VI,' and 'Death of a Unicorn.' More Entertainment: Netflix Releases Mysterious Trailer For Next 'Knives Out' Film However, that doesn't mean the global response has been all positive for the talented actor. Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in "Wednesday," which comes out on Netflix on Wednesday, November 23. Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in "Wednesday," which comes out on Netflix on Wednesday, November 23. Netflix In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, Ortega revealed that the massive success following 'Wednesday' actually left her unhappy. "To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person," Ortega said. "After the pressure, the attention — as somebody who's quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary." Introducing our summer 2025 cover star: #JennaOrtega. From 'Jane the Virgin' to 'You' and 'Scream,' Ortega's been gracing our screens for years now. But it was Netflix's 'Wednesday' that made her a global phenomenon. Still, she's determined not to be constrained by it. Ahead of… — Harper's BAZAAR (@harpersbazaarus) May 28, 2025 However, there are plenty of positive things Ortega has taken from Wednesday Addams. "I definitely feel like I have a bit more Gothic taste than I did when I was a teenager," Ortega said. "I've always been into dark things or been fascinated by them, but I was a Disney kid, and the whole thing is being bubbly and kind and overly sweet." More Entertainment: 'Rick and Morty' Season 8 is Now Available to Watch—Here's How to Stream On top of this, Ortega has become a producer on 'Wednesday' and has more say in the production. "I sit in on meetings and listen and learn. I'm still finding my footing in that area," Ortega revealed. "Season 2 is bigger, bolder, gorier, and a bit darker. It's sillier in the best way possible." Jenna Ortega Is Not Asking Permission — Harper's BAZAAR (@harpersbazaarus) May 28, 2025 Now, Ortega is thankful for the fandom that has developed because of 'Wednesday.' "I want to be able to give back to them. But I also want to do things that are creatively fulfilling to me," Ortega said. "So it's finding that balance of doing movies that they might be interested in and then doing movies that I'm interested in. "[I want roles that are] older and bolder and different. And then I want to be able to line up all of my girls and see something different in all of them." 'Wednesday' Season 2 is set to release in two parts on Netflix, starting on Aug. 6 and ending on Sept. 3. More Entertainment: 'Black Panther' Game Canceled and Studio Shockingly Shut Down by EA 'A Minecraft Movie' Hits HBO Max for Free Streaming in June: What to Know For more Netflix and television news, head on over to Newsweek Entertainment.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Jenna Ortega reflects on ‘Wednesday' fame, says she felt misunderstood and unhappy after success
Jenna Ortega has revealed that the global success of Wednesday left her feeling unhappy and overwhelmed. In a new interview with Harper's Bazaar, the actor described how fame altered her life after the first season of the Netflix series became its most-watched English-language show, amassing 252.1 million views. 'To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person,' she said. 'After the pressure, the attention — as somebody who's quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary.' Ortega expressed frustration at being placed under scrutiny, saying, 'I feel like being a bully is very popular right now.' She said she felt 'incredibly misunderstood' as critics and fans dissected her career choices and personality online. Despite gaining creative opportunities, Ortega admitted to discomfort with aspects of her role. 'I'm doing a show I'm going to be doing for years where I play a schoolgirl. But I'm also a young woman,' she said. 'There's just something about it that's very patronizing.' The actor has since pursued more varied roles in films such as Death of a Unicorn, Hurry Up Tomorrow, and The Gallerist. 'You just don't feel like you're being taken seriously,' she added. Ortega remains thankful for the fan support. 'I want to be able to give back to them. But I also want to do things that are creatively fulfilling to me.' Wednesday Season 2 will premiere on Netflix in two parts from August 6 to September 3.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jenna Ortega Bonded With Natalie Portman Over Being Treated Like Kids: ‘I Relate to That So Immensely'
Jenna Ortega said she's grateful for befriending former child stars like Natalie Portman who also know what it's like to be perceived as a little kid – no matter how old you are. The 22-year-old 'Wednesday' actress told Harper's Bazaar in a new interview that she related 'so immensely' to something Portman, her costar in the upcoming thriller 'The Gallerist,' told her about how child actors get stuck in that phase in people's minds. 'It's always been really annoying, because you just don't feel like you're being taken seriously,' she told the magazine. 'You know, it's like how you're dressed in the schoolgirl costume. … There's just something about it that's very patronizing. Also, when you're short, people are already physically looking down on you.' She said that becoming friends with Portman, as well as Natsha Lyonne and Winoina Rider, has 'been so beneficial and so cozy… They've seen it all, and, honestly, during a much darker time in Hollywood. Ortega continued, 'We've all got this jaded way about us that I don't think we'd have if we hadn't started so young and had so many brutal realizations and experiences.' She paused before adding, 'But they turned out all right.' Portman echoed Ortega's take on their friendship: 'We're both physically tiny, so people will often treat you like a child forever. I'm 43 now, and people kind of pat me on the head. I don't look like a child, but I often feel like I'm treated like a kid. Child actors often cultivate a serious persona because otherwise they'll get treated like kids forever.' Ortega, whose films include 2022's 'Scream,' 'X'and 'Death of a Unicorn,'said that people, especially on social media, are harder on young women than on young men. 'If [girls] don't stay as this perfect image of how they were first introduced to you, then it's 'Ah, something's wrong. She's changed. She sold her soul.' But you're watching these women at the most pivotal times in their lives; they're experimenting because that's what you do,' she explained. She may have been referring to incidents such as when 'Spartacus' producer Steven DeKnight her called 'beyond toxic and entitled' for requesting script changes for her Wednesday Addams character in 2023. (He later apologized.) She said she's felt 'incredibly misunderstood' since becoming famous. 'I feel like being a bully is very popular right now,' she said. 'Having been on the wrong side of the rumor mill was incredibly eye-opening.' 'Wednesday' Season 2, Part on which Ortega is also a producer, returns in August. The post Jenna Ortega Bonded With Natalie Portman Over Being Treated Like Kids: 'I Relate to That So Immensely' appeared first on TheWrap.
Forbes
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Weeknd's Movie Is Headed For A Lackluster Opening Weekend
The Weeknd's Hurry Up Tomorrow album is a hit, but its film counterpart is set to open to ... More underwhelming numbers, projected to gross $5–9 million in its debut weekend. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 13: Abel Tesfaye attends the world premiere of Lionsgate's "Hurry Up Tomorrow" at AMC Lincoln Square on May 13, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) The Weeknd recently scored another hugely successful album with Hurry Up Tomorrow. The R&B and pop superstar dropped the full-length in late January of this year. Months later, a feature-length film of the same name arrives in theaters. While the music was another commercial smash for the Grammy winner, the movie doesn't appear to be shaping up to become the win he was surely hoping for. According to Deadline, Hurry Up Tomorrow is projected to gross between $5 million and $9 million in its opening weekend. Early Wednesday screenings — previews aimed at superfans — brought in about $1 million. The film has been compared to the recent comedy Death of a Unicorn in terms of general public awareness. That title opened with just under $6 million and ultimately grossed $13 million in North America during its run in theaters. Hurry Up Tomorrow reportedly cost $15 million to produce. That sum was reportedly funded by Live Nation. It's possible the film could make that amount back during its limited run in theaters, although the figure doesn't account for additional expenses like marketing. With an opening-weekend gross expected to come in under $10 million, it doesn't seem like the musical project will become a breakout commercial win. The Weeknd's star power is helping drive interest in Hurry Up Tomorrow, as is the music that soundtracks the project. The Canadian musician co-wrote, co-produced, and co-stars in the film. Also attached are Jenna Ortega and Academy Award-nominated actor Barry Keoghan. Despite the notable names involved, Hurry Up Tomorrow is expected to come in behind new arrival Final Destination: Bloodlines, which will likely become the top new arrival in the movie industry this framer. The Weeknd's new effort will also likely end up trailing behind popular holdovers like Sinners and Thunderbolts. Both of those films recently held the No. 1 spot at the U.S. box office. Hurry Up Tomorrow – the musical LP – currently appears on five of Billboard's albums charts. It's only still present inside the top 10 on a pair of genre-specific tallies, though. After debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it has since fallen fairly regularly. At the moment, it sits at No. 27, which is not exactly an inspiring position from which to launch a feature film.
