Jenna Ortega, widely recognized for her darker roles, recently revealed a surprising childhood fear of the original “Beetlejuice” movie. Despite her current success in the horror and thriller genres, Ortega confessed during an appearance on the “Today” show that as a child, she “was scared of everything,” including the iconic 1988 Tim Burton film.
Now starring in the sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Ortega shared her complicated relationship with scary movies while talking to “Today” co-anchor Hoda Kotb. She admitted that while she loved watching “Gremlins,” she also hated the movie’s eerie creatures, leaving her with mixed feelings. As she grew older, Ortega learned to channel her fear into excitement, a trick that helped her manage her childhood anxieties.
Reflecting on her journey from being terrified of “Beetlejuice” to starring in its sequel, Ortega recalled the moment she was offered the role by Tim Burton, whom she had previously worked with on the hit series “Wednesday.” She described it as an “immediate yes” and shared how she pulled over on the side of the road to read the script as soon as she received it.
In “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Ortega plays Astrid Deetz, the daughter of Winona Ryder’s character from the original film. She spoke about the surreal experience of working alongside original cast members Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, and Ryder, noting how watching Keaton bring his bizarre bio-exorcist character to life was “unbelievable.”
The highly anticipated sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” is set to hit theaters on September 6, offering fans both old and new a thrilling continuation of the beloved spooky classic.
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