Jenna Ortega Reflects on Childhood Work Ethic in Hollywood

Actress Jenna Ortega has revealed that as a child performer, she would go entire days on set without eating or drinking water to avoid being a burden to others. The 23-year-old star of Netflix's "Wednesday" shared the personal reflection in an interview published by Esquire on August 11, 2026, a conversation that has since sparked widespread discussion online.

In the interview, Ortega described her early career mindset as one of intense gratitude and a desire to be professional. "I was so grateful and so excited to be there that my game face was on," she said. "I wasn't asking for a sip of water. I would go all day without eating, drinking, whatever, because I wanted so badly to not be in the way of anybody." Looking back, she now views this as a significant oversight. "Maybe that was my mistake, was not actually looking after myself," she added.

Ortega began acting professionally at age nine, with early roles in shows like "Rob" and "Jane the Virgin." She recalled telling her parents she wanted to be an actress at seven, an idea they initially laughed at. "That was kind of the root of everything. The motivation. And I never really stopped, because I'm very stubborn," she...