Jenna Ortega is saying goodbye to Scream. The young actress’ departure from the horror franchise comes just days after her costar Melissa Barrera was fired from the film after social media posts made about the Israel and Palestine conflict. Keep reading for why Jenna left Scream, her statement and more.
Why Did Jenna Ortega Leave ‘Scream’ Franchise?
Jenna’s exit is reportedly unrelated to her castmate’s recent firing and has allegedly been in the works for months, according to Deadline. Instead, it’s been reported that the young star is leaving the franchise due to filming conflicts with Wednesday season 2, produced by Tim Burton.
On top of that, the Stuck In the Middle actress also is in the midst of wrapping up another Tim Burton project, Beetlejuice 2. The sequel of the 1988 classic starring Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton, will appear on the big screen on September 6, 2024.
Jenna isn’t the only star stepping away from the slasher series. Director of Scream VII Christopher Landon announced his departure from the films in December 2023. He shared on X, “I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 weeks ago. This will disappoint some and delight others.”
That’s not all he had to say! Christopher seemingly revealed there was trouble brewing on set. He continued, “It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on.”
During a January 2024 interview with Rolling Stones, Melissa spoke out about being fired from the film. The publication claimed they had done research into the accusations against her and couldn’t find any supporting evidence stating, “They tried to kill your career.”
Melissa shared that she wasn’t the first person to deal with something similar.
“I’m not the first person that’s happened to, but it was shocking … I think everything that happened was very transparent, on both sides, and I know who I am, and I know that what I said always came from a place of love and a place of humanity and a place of human rights and a place of freedom for people, which shouldn’t be controversial.”
Who Did Jenna Ortega Play In ‘Scream’?
ICYMI, Jenna played Tara Carpenter in 2022’s Scream reboot and 2023’s Scream 6, the half-sister to Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) and one of the main protagonists who gets targeted by Ghostface in the two movies.
Jenna spoke about her transition from working on Disney Channel to booking more dramatic roles in an interview with Complex in March 2022.
“I think it’s kind of weird because it’s happened all organically in a sense. I do remember leaving Disney Channel being really nervous because it was really hard to get into audition rooms. My main goal has always been film, and I wasn’t well-known enough. I didn’t have any connection to the industry.”
Jenna also admitted to her affinity for the horror genre, as seen in her most recent projects.
“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.”
Following Jenna’s time on Disney with shows like Stuck In the Middle and Bizaardvark, she starred in a few shows such as Jane the Virgin, You and Elena of Avalor. She soon solidified her place as a horror film pro after starring in Scream, Scream 6, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, X, Studio 666 and American Carnage. However, she is best known for playing Wednesday Addams in Netflix series, Wednesday.
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