‘Watched Over Me…’: Jenna Ortega Says She Was Safe From Misconduct As A Child Star Thanks To Her Mother
Jenna Ortega, who starred in Disney’s Stuck in the Middle, was safe from misconduct as a child star because she claims her mother watched over her “like a Hawk!” Recently, the docuseries Quiet on Set unveiled the dark truth behind kids’ shows and became a sensation. Many child actors from Nickelodeon shows spoke out about the misconduct and harassment that took place behind the scenes.
When The New York Times asked the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice actress whether she had a similar experience, she denied it and credited her mother. Although she hadn’t seen the documentary, her mother did and talked to her about it.
“I think for her, it was more pain because she had seen the way that other children maybe weren’t protected or weren’t as looked after,” Oretaga added. “She watched over me like a hawk, so I think for her, it was more empathizing.”
Further elaborating on her mother’s reaction to the documentary, Ortega revealed that she felt grateful that she was there to witness everything but wished she could have somehow helped the other kids.
Fortunately, the Wednesday actress was saved from incidents that could have impacted her life. However, she did acknowledge that “child acting is strange” in general. “I see why my parents felt so hesitant about it because you’re putting a child in an adult workplace,” she told the Times.
She also admitted that if she’d stayed growing up in Coachella Valley, she would have been a different person, speaking and approaching interactions differently.
“It’s completely changed my way of thinking and going about life,” she added. Ortega also talked about child actors having a “secret language” because of their shared experience. When I speak to other child actors, I can pick them out instantly because we all have that — it’s just very specific, like some secret little language or something that we all share.” she added.
Because the actress believes children are not supposed to work like that. She also admitted that sometimes he regrets choosing acting as a career at a young age, and maybe even her parents regretted it. Nonetheless, she “wouldn’t change anything.”
Ortega will next be seen in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which will be released on September 6, 2024.
