Jenna Ortega is everywhere. Seriously. You can’t scroll through a streaming service without seeing her intense, unblinking stare or that signature gothic aesthetic. But if you think she just popped out of thin air when Wednesday dropped on Netflix, you’re missing about ten years of grind.
People love to label her the "Scream Queen" of the 2020s. It fits. She’s great at looking terrified while holding a kitchen knife. But the reality of the movies Jenna Ortega is in is way more chaotic and varied than just running away from Ghostface. She’s done everything from Disney sitcoms to A24 indies that’ll make your skin crawl.
The Breakthrough: From Scream to the Afterlife
For a lot of fans, the obsession started with Scream (2022). She played Tara Carpenter, the first person to ever survive a Scream opening sequence. That’s a huge deal in horror lore. She brought a grounded, physical pain to that role that most slasher actors just can't mimic. Then came X. Ti West’s 1970s-set slasher saw her as Lorraine, a sheltered girl who gets a bit too curious about an adult film shoot. It was gritty. It was sweaty. It proved she wasn't just a "TV actress."
Then 2024 happened. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice put her center stage as Astrid Deetz. Playing Winona Ryder’s daughter is a heavy mantle, but Ortega handled the "disillusioned teen" vibe without making it a caricature. She didn't try to be Lydia 2.0; she was just Astrid.
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Movies Jenna Ortega is in: The Ones You Might Have Missed
It’s easy to track the blockbusters. What’s harder is keeping up with the smaller, weirder projects that actually show her range.
- The Fallout (2021): Honestly, this is her best performance. Period. She plays Vada, a high schooler navigating the numb, messy aftermath of a school shooting. There are no jump scares here. Just raw, quiet trauma. If you want to see why she’s considered a "serious" actor, watch the bathtub scene.
- Miller’s Girl (2024): This one was... controversial. She plays Cairo Sweet, a writing student who gets into a complex, borderline-predatory intellectual game with her teacher (Martin Freeman). It’s uncomfortable to watch, which was kinda the point, but it showed she’s willing to take risks on scripts that aren't "safe."
- Winter Spring Summer or Fall (2025): After some delays, this rom-com finally hit digital shelves. It’s a departure. She’s charming. She’s smiling. It’s a "four days in a year" love story that reminds us she doesn't always have to be covered in fake blood to be engaging.
What’s Coming in 2026 and Beyond?
If you think she’s slowing down, you’re wrong. Her 2026 slate is arguably more ambitious than anything she’s done before. She is moving into "prestige" territory, working with directors like Taika Waititi and J.J. Abrams.
Klara and the Sun
This is a big one. Directed by Taika Waititi, this adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel casts Ortega as Klara. Klara isn't human. She’s an "Artificial Friend" (AF) designed to keep lonely teenagers company. Playing a robot who is learning to observe human emotion requires a level of subtlety that most actors trip over.
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The Gallerist
She’s starring opposite Natalie Portman in this dark comedy. Imagine a desperate gallery owner (Portman) who tries to pass off a dead body as art at Art Basel Miami. Ortega is reportedly an executive producer on this one too. It’s biting satire, directed by Cathy Yan, and it’s expected to be a major awards contender.
The Great Beyond
For a long time, this was known by the working title Ghostwriter. It’s a J.J. Abrams project, which means details are locked in a vault somewhere. What we do know: she’s starring with Glen Powell and Samuel L. Jackson. Rumor has it the plot involves a fantasy author who realizes his world is actually real.
The "Hurry Up Tomorrow" Misstep
Not everything she touches turns to gold. Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025), the psychological thriller she did with The Weeknd and Barry Keoghan, got some pretty lukewarm-to-bad reviews. Critics felt it was a bit too much "vibe" and not enough "movie." But even in a project that doesn't quite land, Ortega’s screen presence is usually the thing people cite as the saving grace. She has this ability to look like she’s thinking ten things at once, which keeps you watching even when the plot is thin.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Cinephiles
If you want to actually "complete" the Jenna Ortega filmography, don't just stick to the Netflix homepage.
- Watch the "A24 Era" first: Start with The Fallout and X to see her range before she became a household name.
- Look for her Producer credits: She is increasingly taking executive producer roles (like on The Gallerist and Wednesday Season 2). This tells you which projects she actually cares about versus what she's doing for a paycheck.
- Track the "Death of a Unicorn" VOD release: This bizarre dark comedy with Paul Rudd (where they hit a unicorn with a car) is a must-watch for anyone who likes their movies weird.
- Stay updated on the Single White Female remake: She's rumored to be starring in a reboot of this 90s classic alongside Taylor Russell. It’s going to be a massive cultural moment for Gen Z horror fans.
The list of movies Jenna Ortega is in is growing faster than most people can keep up with. She’s successfully transitioned from a child actor to a scream queen, and now she’s pivoting into being a Hollywood powerhouse who calls her own shots.