Hollywood producer and director Steven DeKnight recently expressed his disappointment over the actions of young star Jenna Ortega from the series Wednesday. He criticized her for being “unprofessional” and exhibiting “excessive behavior.” In particular, he noted that the 20-year-old actress had been dismissive on set, changing her lines without consulting anyone.
Specifically, on Shepard’s podcast last week, the Wednesday star admitted that she had refused to “protect” her character Wednesday, as she felt it was important to portray the character accurately. According to her, she completely disregarded the recommendations of the production team to create a version of Wednesday that aligned with her own vision, even going so far as to alter lines to make them “more suitable.”
Jenna Ortega frequently changed her character’s lines while filming “Wednesday.” (Image: Netflix)
“There were times on set when I realized I was unprofessional in how I changed my lines. The supervising director was surprised and called me back, and afterward, I had to sit down with the writers to explain why I changed them,” the actress shared.
However, her comments did not sit well with producer Steven DeKnight. He argued that such actions undermine the integrity of the script and do not respect the efforts of the creatives involved.
“This represents a lack of respect and professionalism. I love her portrayal of the character, but this kind of behavior is too short-sighted when having to work with people like this in the industry,” Steven shared.
(Image: ELLE)
Despite Steven DeKnight’s concerns about Jenna Ortega’s behavior and remarks, he acknowledged that her age plays a role in her actions. However, he feels that the audience should not excuse her behavior. “She should be more self-aware and consider how others in the film crew are also contributing and responding to the challenges of working with her,” he continued.
Following the success of Wednesday, Jenna Ortega has emerged as one of the most promising young talents in Hollywood. Right after this film, she has continuously received offers to participate in various film festivals and prestigious award ceremonies.
