Jenna Ortega Names The Horror Film That Left A Lasting Mark

Jenna Ortega may be known today as one of horror’s biggest stars, but there is one scary movie she still can’t shake. Even after years of working in dark and creepy films, she admits one movie truly got under her skin when she was young.

While speaking with Rotten Tomatoes, Ortega opened up about the 2010 supernatural hit Insidious, directed by James Wan. She said she first watched the movie when she was just 12 years old, and the experience stuck with her in a big way. According to Ortega, the age she saw it made everything feel much more real and intense.

There are some shots in that film that stay with me, where I feel like I can still see the red-faced demon guy wherever I go, she said during the interview. The image of the film’s villain clearly made a lasting impression.

Even though the movie scared her badly at the time, Ortega made it clear that she now respects the work behind it. She credited Wan for knowing exactly how to build fear on screen. James Wan obviously knows what he’s doing in the horror department, but watching that as a 12-year-old was traumatising, she added, laughing about it years later.

Insidious is not the only horror film Ortega admires. She also shared her love for The Witch, directed by Robert Eggers. She said the movie stood out because of how carefully it was made and how strong the mood felt throughout. It’s so high quality and so beautifully done, she told Rotten Tomatoes, explaining that the film stayed in her mind long after she finished watching it.

Today, Ortega’s career has grown far beyond just horror movies. As of January, she has been busy working across different genres. She recently appeared at the Sundance Film Festival for the premiere of The Gallerist, a dark satire directed by Cathy Yan. The film stars Ortega alongside Natalie Portman and Charli XCX, and follows a strange situation involving the art world and a dead body.

Later this year, Ortega will appear in Klara and the Sun, a sci-fi drama directed by Taika Waititi and based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. She also has a role in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming mystery film The Great Beyond, which is set for release in November 2026 and features Glen Powell and Samuel L. Jackson.

Even with all these new projects, it is clear that horror still plays a big part in how fans see her. And for Jenna Ortega, it all traces back to one movie that scared her far more than she ever expected.

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