Jenna Ortega, an American actress and writer, was born on September 27, 2002, in Coachella, California. She gained fame for her role as Harley Diaz in the Disney series “Stuck in the Middle”. Ortega has a large family, being the fourth child of Natalie López and Edward Ortega. She has two older sisters, an older brother, and younger twin siblings. Despite her early start in acting, Ortega has expressed a desire for a more typical childhood experience.
Ortega’s interest in acting became evident at a young age. In 2012, she made her debut in an episode of the comedy series “Rob”. She also appeared in an episode of “CSI: NY” as Aimee Moore. Her breakout role came in 2013 when she portrayed the vice president’s daughter in “Iron Man 3”. That same year, she played Annie in “The Purge: Anarchy”. Ortega was then chosen to portray young Jane Villanueva in the hit series “Jane the Virgin”, alongside Gina Rodriguez.
In 2014, Ortega joined the cast of the Netflix series “Richie Rich” as Darcy, Richie’s best friend. After that, she became part of the Disney family by taking on the role of Harley Diaz in the series “Stuck in the Middle”. This show revolves around a large Latinx family, with Harley being the middle child among seven siblings. It depicts the chaos and fun that come with growing up in a big family.
Ortega’s career continued to flourish as she starred in various projects. She appeared in “Saving Flora” in 2016, playing the character Dawn alongside actor David Arquette. In 2019, she played Ellie, the younger sister of Delilah Alves, in the popular Netflix series “You”. Ortega also joined the cast of “The Babysitter: Killer Queen” as Phoebe Atwell. The same year, she appeared in the Netflix comedy “Yes Day” alongside Jennifer Garner.
In “The Fallout: Life After”, Ortega took on the pivotal role of Vada, a high school student coping with the emotional aftermath of a school tragedy. This film marked a shift in her career toward more horror and suspense genres, with upcoming projects including “Scream 5”, “X”, and “Studio 666”, directed by BJ McDonnell and the Foo Fighters.
In 2022, Ortega will portray Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton’s Netflix series “Wednesday”. She is currently involved in several film projects, indicating a promising future ahead. Apart from her acting career, Ortega has lent her voice to several characters in animated programs such as Princess Isabel in “Elena of Avalor” and Gabriella Espinosa in “The Green Neighbors”. In 2021, she made her debut as a writer with the release of her book “It’s All Love”.
Ortega maintains a somewhat low profile on social media, occasionally sharing content relating to her family, friends, and work. In interviews, she has emphasized the importance of taking breaks from social media to maintain a healthier relationship with it. Despite her relatively limited online activity, Ortega boasts an impressive following of over 8.6 million fans.