Movies - TV
Jenna Ortega Rejected A Line In Wednesday For Sounding Out Of Character
By DEMETRA NIKOLAKAKIS
For Tim Burton’s Netflix series “Wednesday,” it was important for actor Jenna Ortega to get to the heart of her titular character without becoming a knock-off. In order to keep Wednesday’s character authentic, Ortega fought to have an uncharacteristically self-deprecating line cut from the script.
The memorable black gown Wednesday confidently wears to the Rave'n school dance — a party with an all-white dress code — felt in alignment with the character. However, in an interview, Ortega said, “I remember [...] she initially was supposed to say, 'Oh, my God, I'm freaking out over a dress, I literally hate myself.'”
The line ultimately comes across as an “I'm not like other girls” type comment, which is a trope deeply rooted in sexism and self-consciousness that in no way applies to Wednesday. By insisting that the line was cut, Ortega ensured that Wednesday stayed true to her roots.