Jenna Ortega loves a creepy movie moment. The Wednesday actress is set to pair up with director Tim Burton once again for his highly-anticipated sequel to the ’80s classic, Beetlejuice. So, who is Jenna playing in Beetlejuice 2? Keep reading to see details on her character.
Who Does Jenna Ortega Play In ‘Beetlejuice 2’?
News of Jenna’s casting first hit in March 2023, with sources telling The Hollywood Reporter that she’s set to play the daughter of Lydia, the character played by Winona Ryder in the first installment. Most details about her role, such as her name, are still unknown.
Beetlejuice 2 will appear on the big screen on September 6, 2024.
While not much is known about the plot of the film, William Defoe has given some insight on his role in the movie. While speaking to Variety at the Marrakech Film Festival on November 27, 2023, he explained, “I play a police officer in the afterlife, so I’m a dead person. And in life, I was a B-movie action star, but I had an accident and that’s what sent me to the other side.” It seems Beetlejuice 2 doesn’t stray too far away from the original storyline …
However, Jenna did share some insight on what we can expect from the upcoming film. On January 15, 2024, the actress explained to Entertainment Tonight that shooting this film was “some of the most fun [she’s] ever had on a set.” She also added that the movie is “visually, so exciting” since they’re “not using very much CGI.”
On the topic of her role, Jenna told Vanity Fair on February 21, 2024 that her character is a lot different than many are expecting.
“She’s weird, but in a different way and not in the way you’d assume, I would say,” she revealed. “The relationship between Lydia and Astrid, my character, is very important.”
“And it’s also really strange because it’s a lot of catching up and putting the pieces together of what’s gone on in Lydia’s life since, which is nice, I think, for anybody who loves the character and is excited to see her again.”
For those who don’t know, Beetlejuice first premiered in 1988, starring Michael Keaton as troublesome spirit, Beetlejuice, that appears if you say his name three times.
In the original movie, newlyweds Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin) die in a car crash. After a family moves into their home, which includes goth teen Lydia (played by Winona), the spirit couple attempts to scare them away, attracting the attention of Beetlejuice.
Jenna Ortega Upcoming Movies, Shows
Following Jenna’s time on Disney’s Stuck In the Middle and Bizaardvark, she starred in a few well-known shows such as Jane the Virgin, You and Elena of Avalor. However, the Disney alum would soon solidify her place as a pro in the horror film genre after starring in 2022’s Scream, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, X, Studio 666 and American Carnage. She is best known for her role in Netflix’s Tim Burton series, Wednesday.
Jenna admitted to her affinity for the horror genre, as seen in her most recent projects, during an interview with Complex in March 2022.
“I tend to do a lot of horror but even my horror films I think are pretty different in themselves, which is enough for me and also keeps me on my toes and I think forces me to work in a different way or exercise a muscle in a different way. And I love a challenge. That’s what it comes down to when I’m choosing new projects.”
Other projects that Jenna has on the horizon include season 2 of Wednesday, romantic comedy Winter Spring Summer or Fall, Miller’s Girl, Finestkind and an untitled project by The Weeknd and Trey Edward Shults.
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