THE CONSTANT EVOLUTION OF 'YOU’S' JENNA ORTEGA [IN PRINT]

Evolution is an inevitable part of our nature as humans. Although the level of growth and the degree of how each of us evolves is subject to a myriad of factors, we are all bound to change. Afterall, the only constant thing in life is change. To the eyes of many, Jenna Ortega may be the sweet, young girl that they grew to love from her roles; but as a rising star, she will take many forms, embrace various roles, and continue to evolve as a human and as an artist.

STYLING: ENRIQUE MELENDEZ, MAKEUP: HANNAH REED, HAIR: ALEXANDRA PIÑA, CUSTOM PIECES: MICHELLE THOMAS

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Two years ago, I photographed a younger Jenna Ortega in the same place where we did the photoshoot for this issue. I remember we did a Modern color-blocking story where the whole team delivered. Back then, you can already tell that Jenna is a star. She was very gracious, she knew how to treat people around her right, and she was very collaborative. Two years later, and I reconnected with the same sweet girl, but this time, there’s definitely a relaxed aura of undeniable confidence that can only be developed by experience.

At 17, Ortega already carries an impressive 30 IMDB acting credits under her belt. She had parts in a Rob Schneider sitcom Rob in 2012, supporting roles in Iron Man 3 and Insidious: Chapter 2, as well as recurring roles on Rake, Richie Rich, Elena of Avalor, Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle and playing the young Jane in Jane the Virgin.

As of this writing, the second season of the successful Netflix psychological thriller series YOU just dropped where Ortega plays one of the new major characters of the show- Ellie Alves. Ellie is a smart, film, enthusiast who also happened to be Joe’s (Penn Badgley) neighbor. From a Deadline article a few months back in 2019, Ellie’s character was described as “secretly living with minimal supervision or nurturing in her life” so she has to take care of herself, and as a result, she “isn’t afraid to get into murky waters to make a little cash.”

At a very young age, this woman values her time and is aware that in order to have longevity and success, you have to constantly evolve. Interviewing Jenna the second time around gave me a deeper glimpse into the star’s wisdom. It’s refreshing to talk to someone as young as Ortega and hear her perspectives as a person living in the age of social media, having a successful career in entertainment, being grounded, and having a heightened sense of self-awareness that we are creatures that needs constant learning and development. In this special collector’s issue, I sat down again with Jenna and chatted about her music tastes, her roles as Ellie in YOU, her upcoming projects, social media, and how to stay grounded while evolving amidst the fast-paced environment of show business.

PURCHASE JENNA ORTEGA'S COLLECTOR'S PRINT ISSUE HERE