Actress Jenna Ortega has been enthralled in controversy recently, particularly related to her latest movie and her confirmed exit from a Netflix television series.
Jenna Marie Ortega, the rising star of Hollywood, has found herself at the center of a media storm with the recent release of her controversial movie Miller’s Girl (2024) on Netflix.
This comes at a time when she is making headlines for her unexpected departure from one of the streaming giant’s top series. The movie, despite its dismal critical reception and poor box office performance, has quickly climbed the Netflix Top 10 charts, creating a fascinating juxtaposition of critical failure and streaming success.
According to reports from ScreenRant, Miller’s Girl received a meager 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed only $900,000 against its $4 million budget. Nevertheless, it has become the fifth most-watched movie on Netflix’s U.S. Top 10 charts for the week of April 29 to May 5.
The film stars Jenna Ortega alongside Emmy-winning actor Martin Freeman, exploring the complex and controversial relationship between a teacher and his student, which unfolds after a provocative creative writing assignment.
Jenna Ortega makes major Netflix exit, future unclear
Ortega’s journey to stardom has been meteoric. She first garnered attention with guest roles in TV shows like You, and solidified her status with leading roles in the Scream franchise as Tara Carpenter and the supernatural series Wednesday (2022).
In Wednesday, Ortega plays the titular character, the sardonic and enigmatic daughter of the iconic Addams Family. Her performance was widely praised, and the show quickly became a hit, securing a renewal for a second season by Tim Burton and Netflix.
However, Ortega’s recently confirmed departure from another Netflix series, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, has fueled speculation about her future projects, including Wednesday. In the animated series, her character, Brooklynn, was shockingly killed off, as revealed in a new trailer.
This sudden plot twist has left fans reeling and wondering about the reasons behind such a narrative decision, especially given Ortega’s peak popularity.
Wednesday stood out for its unique blend of dark humor and mystery, set in the peculiar Nevermore Academy. The series follows Wednesday Addams as she navigates school life, her emerging psychic abilities, and a slew of supernatural mysteries.
Alongside Ortega, the show features Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, and other notable actors who contribute to its quirky and darkly enchanting atmosphere.
The success of Wednesday was immediate and overwhelming. According to Nielsen’s metrics, the show achieved nearly six billion minutes viewed within its first five days, marking it as one of the most significant debuts in streaming history.
This triumph, however, was contrasted by the shocking turn of events in Jurassic World: Chaos Theory. The series’ trailer starkly confirmed Brooklynn’s fate, with Ben Pincus ominously stating, “Brooklynn’s death was no accident. She was targeted.”
This development has led to rampant speculation about Netflix’s strategies. Some industry insiders, like Matthew Belloni, suggest that Ortega might not extend her role in Wednesday beyond the second season. Belloni posits that the development of spin-offs, such as an Uncle Fester show, could indicate Netflix’s preparation for a future without Ortega.
Ortega herself has been open about the demanding nature of her role in Wednesday. She often found herself asserting her artistic vision, sometimes clashing with directors and scriptwriters over the show’s creative direction. While this dynamic underscored her commitment to the character, it also hinted at potential reasons for her considering moving on.
Despite these uncertainties, Netflix has confirmed that filming for Wednesday Season 2 will commence soon. The continuation of the series is eagerly anticipated by its vast fanbase, who remain hopeful that Ortega will reprise her role for at least another season. The success of Season 1 and Ortega’s star power might carry the series forward, even if future seasons proceed without her.
Conversely, fans of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory must now adjust to the series without Ortega’s character, a change that could reshape viewer engagement and the show’s overall dynamic. This underscores the unpredictable nature of television series in the streaming era, where shifts in cast and plot can significantly alter a show’s trajectory.
Jenna Ortega’s involvement with Netflix has been pivotal in her career, catapulting her to stardom and making her a central figure in the ongoing evolution of streaming media. As the industry continues to expand and transform, the paths of Ortega, Wednesday, and Jurassic World: Chaos Theory will serve as interesting indicators of how flexible and responsive a streaming giant like Netflix can be in adapting to changes and viewer expectations.
Ortega’s controversial movie Miller’s Girl has found an unexpected lease on life through Netflix, proving that viewer tastes can sometimes diverge significantly from critical opinion. This phenomenon highlights the complex dynamics between box office performance, critical reception, and streaming success.
As Ortega navigates these shifts in her career, her choices will undoubtedly continue to captivate audiences and industry observers alike.
What do you think of Jenna Ortega’s exit and her new movie’s success on Netflix? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
