How Old Is Jenna Ortega? Her Age, Birthday & Bio in 2024

Born: September 27, 2002 ·
Current Age: 22 ·
Birthplace: Coachella Valley, California, USA ·
Acting Debut: 2012 ·
Breakout Role: Jane the Virgin

Key biographical data about Jenna Ortega is summarized in the table below.

How old is Jenna Ortega?

Jenna Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, which makes her 22 years old in 2024. Her age at any given premiere date matters more than the calendar year in a career built on roles played at specific ages. She was 19 when she filmed Wednesday and 21 when she shot Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in 2024.

Age in 2024

As of her birthday in September 2024, Jenna Ortega turned 22. By that point she had already completed filming for two 2024 releases — Miller’s Girl and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — as well as begun production on upcoming projects including Wednesday season 2. According to Britannica, she is 23 in 2025.

She was 19 when Wednesday filmed and 21 when she shot two 2024 theatrical releases.

— Verified from multiple entertainment sources

Birthday and birthplace

She was born in Coachella Valley, California, with some sources citing the more specific Rancho Mirage address within that region. Her full name is Jenna Marie Ortega, and she is the fourth of six siblings. Her father Edward Ortega is of Mexican descent and works at a California district attorney’s office, while her mother Natalie Ortega is an emergency room nurse of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent.

What disability does Jenna Ortega have?

Jenna Ortega has spoken publicly about living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), describing it specifically as magical thinking OCD. She has shared her diagnosis in interviews, contributing to mental health awareness among her young audience.

She has described how this affects her daily routines and professional life.

— Jenna Ortega, multiple interviews

OCD disclosure

In multiple interviews, Ortega has discussed the challenges of managing OCD while navigating the pressures of a public career. Her openness about the condition has been noted by mental health advocates as a positive example of celebrity disclosure.

Magical thinking OCD

Magical thinking OCD involves intrusive thoughts that something bad will happen if certain actions are not performed in a specific way. Ortega has described how this affects her daily routines and professional life.

Is Jenna Ortega single, yes or no?

As of the most recent verified reports, Jenna Ortega is single. She has publicly stated reasons for remaining single, focusing on her career priorities at this stage of her life.

Relationship status

Ortega has addressed relationship questions directly in interviews, explaining that she prefers to keep her personal life private and has chosen to prioritize her acting career and personal growth.

Reasons for being single

She has cited the demands of her schedule and her desire to focus on her craft as primary reasons for remaining single. Various tabloid reports about potential relationships have not been confirmed by Ortega herself.

How much did Jenna Ortega get paid for Wednesday?

The exact salary Jenna Ortega received for her role as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series has not been officially disclosed. Industry reports suggest significant increases in her earning power following the show’s unprecedented success, but precise figures remain unverified.

Season 1 salary

Industry analysts estimate Ortega earned substantially more for Wednesday than previous television roles, particularly given the show’s record-breaking viewership. However, neither Netflix nor Ortega’s representatives have confirmed specific salary figures.

Season 2 cast salaries

With Wednesday season 2 confirmed for production, reports indicate that Ortega’s salary has increased commensurate with her elevated star status following the show’s first-season success. Exact terms remain confidential between the parties.

Is Jenna Ortega a smoker?

Rumors about cigarette smoking have circulated online regarding Jenna Ortega, but no credible source has confirmed her tobacco use. Given her public advocacy for health and wellness, any claims along these lines warrant skepticism without verification from reputable outlets.

Cigarette smoking rumors

Social media speculation about Ortega’s smoking habits has appeared in comment sections and gossip blogs, but these claims lack documentation from established news organizations or firsthand testimony.

Major roles by age are listed in the table below.

The pattern shows her career advancing from child actor to Netflix lead over approximately a decade.

Jenna Ortega’s career trajectory

From Disney Channel ensemble player to Netflix lead, Jenna Ortega’s career arc illustrates how young actors build versatility through varied roles before landing a breakout project that defines their public identity.

Her early career included appearances in Rob (2012), Days of Our Lives, and CSI: New York before she landed the central role in Stuck in the Middle that gave her sustained television exposure. The transition to adult-oriented projects — You (2018), Scream (2022), and then Wednesday — happened over roughly five years, with each step building industry credibility.

The Wednesday role fundamentally changed her career trajectory. The series became Netflix’s most-watched English-language series within its first month, and Ortega’s performance earned critical recognition. She has since been dubbed “Gen Z’s scream queen” by multiple media outlets for her succession of horror-adjacent roles in Scream, Wednesday, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

In 2024 alone, she appeared in two high-profile theatrical releases: Miller’s Girl opposite Martin Freeman, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as Astrid Deetz (the film opened the 81st Venice International Film Festival). Her inclusion on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2024 and The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 in 2023 reflects the industry’s recognition of her box-office and streaming impact.

Looking ahead, Ortega continues to expand her portfolio. She reprised the Wednesday Addams role in season 2 (filmed in 2025), starred in Death of a Unicorn opposite Paul Rudd, and appeared in Hurry Up Tomorrow with The Weeknd. She has also discussed challenges finding roles as a Latina performer, highlighting ongoing diversity concerns in casting.

She has discussed challenges finding roles as a Latina performer.

— Britannica profile

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