Jenna Ortega plans TV break after ‘Wednesday’ ends

Jenna Ortega has revealed that she avoids reading reviews, watching her own films and checking box office figures, explaining that she does not want public opinion or commercial performance to dictate how she feels about her work.

In a new cover story for Vogue, the Wednesday star said reading reviews could have a negative effect on her mental state. She also explained that she avoids box office updates, even when her team sends them to her, because she does not want her career to become focused on numbers.

Ortega previously relied on social media to gauge audience reactions to her projects. However, she said she has been using these platforms less frequently, citing the amount of artificial intelligence generated content online and the tendency for people to scrutinise themselves too closely.

The actress also described an unexpected break from technology after her phone stopped working. Rather than immediately getting it repaired, she spent several days without easy access to social media or constant digital communication.

She recalled planning journeys by checking maps on a computer and memorising streets, while arranging specific places and times to meet people. Ortega described the experience as freeing.

Her comments come as she prepares for the release of Klara and the Sun, a film directed by Taika Waititi and adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel. Despite the film’s reception and box office expectations attracting attention, Ortega said her usual approach means she will not be closely monitoring reviews or financial results.

Ortega has also been thinking about what comes next in her television career. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, she reflected on beginning television work as a child, including roles in Jane the Virgin and Disney’s Stuck in the Middle.

The actress currently leads Netflix’s Wednesday, which is heading towards its third season. Ortega said she expects to step away from television for a while once the series concludes, giving herself time to explore different opportunities.

“What I’m meant to do will come and find me,” she said, expressing a desire to leave room for new experiences after years of working on television productions.