Jenna Ortega may be known as Gen Z’s scream queen, but she missed out on one cult-classic horror movie early in her career.
During an appearance on Kid Cudi’s “Big Bro” podcast, the “Wednesday” star confessed she auditioned for the leading child role in 2018’s “Hereditary,” a part that eventually went to Tony winner Milly Shapiro.
Ortega’s admission surfaced after Kid Cudi asked if there were any movies she saw as the one that got away. Per Ortega, she has “always taken rejection really well,” saying she “never really questioned” when she didn’t get a part.
However, Ortega said she did remember feeling like “Hereditary,” a supernatural psychological horror film written and directed by Ari Aster, was set to be an “important” one in pop culture.
“I didn’t understand it. I was so young when it came in, but I think I auditioned for “Hereditary,’” she shared. “Which, obviously, wouldn’t have made any sense for especially like, my disposition as a kid. So, I understood and I didn’t know what I was looking at and they gave us barely any sides.”
She continued: “It was like, two pages of just ominous words that, as a 12-year-old, kind of went over the head. But I remember looking at it, and thinking, ‘I feel like this is an important movie.’ And then it was.”
Ortega recalled seeing “Hereditary” in theaters after the fact, adding, ” I sat up in my chair and I looked at my mom and I said, ‘This is the one that I said was going to be [important].’”
She then praised the film as an “incredible movie.”
“Hereditary,” which stars Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff and Shapiro, follows a grieving family as they are haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences. The film landed multiple Gotham Award nominations, as well as nominations for Independent Spirit Awards.
Despite missing out on “Hereditary,” Ortega’s career skyrocketed just fine, with the actress landing leading roles in the “Scream” franchise, “The Babysitter: Killer Queen,” “X” and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” Though, she’s become best known for portraying the macabre-obsessed Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s supernatural comedy, which also stars Emma Myers, Joy Sunday and Gwendoline Christie.
“Wednesday” Season 3 officially entered production back in February.
Watch Ortega’s full “Big Bro” podcast appearance above.
