‘Wednesday’ Star Jenna Ortega Reveals the Troubling Reality of Being a Child Actor: “I Would Go All Day” Without Food or Water

Jenna Ortega is looking back on her early years as a child actor and admitting that she sometimes pushed her own needs aside just to avoid becoming a problem for the people around her.

In a recent interview with Esquire, Ortega spoke about how seriously she took her work when she was younger. She said she was so grateful to have opportunities as a child actor that she always tried to stay focused and professional.

“I really had it going for me as a child ‘cause I can’t think of one mistake I made,” Ortega said. “Is that a terrible thing to say? I feel like I make mistakes now all the time, but as a child, I was so grateful and so excited to be there that my game face was on.”

That mindset also meant Ortega often avoided asking for basic things while she was working. She explained that she did not want to interrupt anyone or make people feel like they had to stop what they were doing for her.

“I wasn’t asking for a sip of water,” she recalled. “I would go all day without eating, drinking, whatever, because I wanted so badly to not be in the way of anybody.”

Looking back now, Ortega recognizes that this was not necessarily something to be proud of. She said she may have been so focused on being a good worker that she forgot to take care of herself. “Maybe that was my mistake, was not actually looking after myself,” she said.

Ortega started acting at a very young age. She was just 7 when she told her parents that she wanted to become an actor. According to the actress, her parents initially laughed when she shared the idea with them.

But Ortega did not give up. She eventually began building a career that included roles in shows such as Richie Rich, Jane the Virgin, You and Elena of Avalor. Her major early breakthrough came with Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle, which premiered in 2016 when she was 13.

Her experiences have also shaped the way she views the challenges faced by young performers. During the Esquire interview, Ortega was asked about the negative stereotypes surrounding child stars.

“Is it wrong to say that a lot of them are true? And do with that what you will,” she said. Ortega explained that becoming an actor was something she became determined to pursue very early in life. She described herself as stubborn and said she never really questioned the decision after deciding that acting was what she wanted to do.

“I was 7 years old when I said I wanted to do this,” Ortega said. “My parents laughed at me when I told them that I wanted to do it, and then that was kind of the root of everything. The motivation. And I never really stopped, because I’m very stubborn. And then I never questioned it.”

Now one of Hollywood’s most recognizable young stars, Ortega’s comments offer a look at the pressure she placed on herself long before she became known around the world for Wednesday.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!