American actress Jenna Marie Ortega, who has quickly become one of the most recognisable and successful actresses of 2022, has starred in several major movies and TV shows, including the legacy sequel to the Scream franchise. Her performances in her latest projects have been nominated for a couple of awards, and she’s won quite a few. But this seems like just the beginning of Ortega’s rise to fame.
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The young actress was born in Coachella Valley and made her acting debut in 2012 when she made guest appearances in shows like Baby Bug and CSI: NY. She even acted in Iron Man 3, where she has a small role as the vice president’s daughter. As a child actor, her fame grew rather quickly as she starred in several more light-hearted shows and even delved into the horror genre as a way to broaden her range.
Ortega has a couple of new projects already in production, including Finestkind, Scream VI, Miller’s Girl and Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall. Fans are excited to see what she does moving forward.
Let’s rank some of Jenna Ortega’s movies and TV shows.
15. The Little Rascals Save The Day
The film follows the adventures of a group of neighbourhood children as they try to raise $10000 for Grandma Larson’s Bakery. Unfortunately, things don’t go too smoothly for the group as they are turned away from jobs and ruin their teacher’s boyfriend’s proposal attempts several times. They also make several poor decisions involving cake and money and have to deal with a bully who tries to sabotage them at every turn.
The gang forms a band called the International Silver Sting Submarine. It enters a talent show during which they are helped by Darla, the girl the leader of the group likes, and win, earning the $10000 needed to keep Grandma Larson’s Bakery open.
The film is based on Our Gang, the original film series about the Little Rascals, and The Little Rascals, the title of the animated TV series and the 1994 film based on the Little Rascals.
Jenna Ortega did an excellent job as Mary Ann, the only girl member of The Rascals.
14. Elena of Avalor
This animated series follows the adventures of Princess Elena Castillo Flores (voiced by Aimee Carrero), a Latina princess who goes around solving numerous problems in her kingdom. The show was created for younger audiences, but the voice actors still give brilliant performances.
Ortega voices Elena’s younger sister Princess Isabel Castillo Flores. She does an excellent job portraying Isabel, whom Elena often looks to for support and guidance. Both Carrero and Ortega did a fantastic job portraying the care and love the two sisters share despite having very little in common.
13. Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous
This animated sci-fi series was developed by Zack Stentz and Is a part of the Jurassic Park franchise. It follows a group of teenagers who are given the opportunity to visit the exclusive dinosaur camp Camp Cretaceous, located on Isla Nublar. While there, the Indominus Rec goes on a rampage, the dinosaurs break free of their enclosures, and the stranded campers are forced to venture through the island with little hope of finding their way out, let alone surviving.
They discover secrets about each other and slowly bond through their experiences and the different life-or-death situations they’re put through. But, unfortunately, they soon learn they have been alone on the island.
Ortega voices Brooklynn, a famous travel vlogger and one of the main six characters in the series. Despite the mixed reviews the series received, Jenna Ortega was still praised for the part she played on the TV show.
12. Yes Day
This film was based on the book of the same name, which Amy Krouse Rosenthal wrote. It follows the Torres on their “Yes Day”, during which the parents cannot say no to the activities chosen by their children, within reason. Allision, the mother of the Torres family, uses the day to bond with her children, as she’s usually the disciplinarian of the parents.
Despite the film receiving mixed-to-negative reviews, mainly for the writing and humour that fell a bit flat with audiences, critics still praised many of the actor’s performances, particularly Ortega as Katie Torres, who was nominated for an Imagen Award as Best Actress in a Feature Film.
While not her best film, the project was still a part of Jenna Ortega’s more notable movies and TV shows.
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11. Saving Flora
Saving Flora is basically Free Willy with an elephant rather than an Orca. It follows the story of Flora, a circus elephant who is no longer able to perform tricks, and Dawn, the 14-year-old daughter of the circus owner. The night before she is meant to be euthanised, Dawn decides to help Flora escape from the circus, and all that stands between them is… a lot.
Together they have to face a long stretch of woods and a raging river while trying to evade two elephant poachers who want Flora for her tusks.
Ortega gave an excellent performance as Dawn and was even nominated as Best Lead Actress in a Feature. But, unfortunately, she didn’t win.
10. Studio 666
This comedy-hybrid features the band Foo Fighters and has them playing exaggerated versions of themselves. They arrive at a mansion at the urging of their manager Jeremy Shill, where they hope to overcome their writer’s block. But unfortunately, the lead singer, Dave Grohl, is possessed by the demonic soul of Greg Nole and goes around murdering everyone in the mansion.
The rest of the band tries to figure out how to set him free of the possession but is ultimately unsuccessful in their efforts as Grohl ends up as the lone survivor and performs a concert showing signs that a demon still possesses him.
Jenna Ortega has a minor role in this movie, but that doesn’t stop her from giving a brilliant performance. She plays Skye Willow, the drummer of Greg Nole’s band (Dream Widow), who gets her skull bashed in with a hammer. In the few minutes we see her; she brings plenty of emotion and somberness to her doomed character.
9. The Babysitter: Killer Queen
This dark comedy-horror film continues the story of Cole Johnson (played by Judah Lewis), who survived the attempted killings of the satanic cult, but now no one believes him. Finally, his parents send him to a psychiatric school, which he escapes from alongside his best friend Melanie and several other students. Unfortunately for Cole, Melanie and co are part of the cult that previously tried to kill him.
Ortega plays Phoebe Atwell, a new student at Cole’s school who helps him escape the cult. She did a brilliant job with Phoebe’s effortless demeanour, which would have fallen flat with a less talented actress. Fans are more than likely to see Ortega in the third film, given that Phoebe and Cole were together by the film’s conclusion.
8. Stuck in the Middle
This family comedy featured on Disney Channel follows the lives of the Diaz family, particularly Harley Diaz, the inventive middle child of her parent’s seven children. We are shown how Harley survives the many entertaining adventures of her family and how she copes with being “stuck in the middle” of everyone and occasionally overlooked. Harley sometimes breaks the fourth wall to add input about what’s happening. Yet, despite the chaos of the house, the family gets along well.
Jenna Ortega did a brilliant job portraying Harley, so much so that in 2018 she won an Imagen Award for Best Young Actor (which she was nominated for again in 2019).
7. American Carnage
The film follows the story of the children of undocumented immigrant children who are given a choice: face deportation or serve as elder care aids for a few months. The kids pick the E.A.T.U. (Elderly American Tolerance Understanding) programme, but soon learn that things are not as they seem when the horrors of their prison come alive.
Ortega plays the rebellious punk Camila. She remains consistent even in the moments when the film grows a little too broad and starts to lose itself. She finds strength in an impossible situation designed to kill her and helps inspire a revolution.
6. Jane The Virgin (2014 – 2019)
This satirical rom-com telenovela is a loose adaptation of Juana la Virgen. It follows the story of Jane Gloriana Villanueva (played by Gina Rodriquez), whose life takes an interesting turn when she is accidentally artificially inseminated while at a check-up with her gynaecologist.
Jane has always been a hard-working young woman who took her grandmother’s beliefs to heart as a young girl. She has to deal with several eventful romances, motherhood and a writing career. The series is primarily humorous but also takes the time to explore more serious issues, such as particular characters’ health conditions and immigration statuses.
Jane’s journey is one of self-discovery that’ll leave you smiling stupidly at the screen in some moments and crying your eyes out in others. The series flips between past and present events to show how Jane’s past influenced the decisions she makes in the future.
Ortega has minimal screen time, often featuring as one of the younger versions of Jane, but she shines during her scenes. Her performance is uniquely her own, even though it is still tempered to match the character Rodriquez brought to life.
This role is an excellent example of just how seriously Jenna Ortega takes her work and is one of the most memorable roles in all her movies and TV shows.
