With Jenna Ortega receiving acclaim for her role as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday and reprising her role as Tara Carpenter in Scream 6, it's the perfect time to look back at her most memorable horror movies. While the actor has shown her talent in other types of films, including the 2021 independent film The Fallout about the aftermath of a school shooting, she definitely has a knack for playing characters in terrifying scenarios.
While Jenna Ortega's most beloved horror performances are from the past few years, she actually appeared in an entry in a popular supernatural franchise back in 2013 when she was just a child. It's fun to reflect on the most compelling characters she has portrayed within this genre.
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
While Ortega said that Wednesday is her scariest role, she has played countless horror characters, including Annie in Insidious: Chapter 2. She has a small part, but it's a memorable one since it comes at the end of the movie. Tucker (Angus Sampson) and Specs (Leigh Whannell) go to a family's home because young Allison (Dannay Rodriguez) has fallen into a coma. Annie is Allison's younger sister who can see Elise Rainer (Lin Shaye) when no one else can. She asks "Who is the lady?" and adds, "The lady standing behind them."
Since Ortega is 20 years old, she would have been around 10 in 2013 when Insidious: Chapter 2 was released, which also makes this a fun trip back in time. Although she was really young when she appeared in the movie, she made a lasting impression and looked legitimately afraid to be in this situation. She really sold the character well.
Scream (2022)
While killing Dewey Riley was a Scream (2022) mistake, and it's a shame not to see David Arquette's character in any future Scream movies, casting Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter was definitely a brilliant idea. She is flawless in the opening scene which is an homage to Drew Barrymore's famous character Casey Becker in the original 1996 movie and continues to play her teenage character with raw emotion throughout the entire film.
While all the young actors are great, Ortega stands out and her character is hilarious and just a little bit pretentious as Tara loves elevated horror. The movie wouldn't be the same without her powerful performance as a high school student who is confident and secure but who is also understandably terrified of Ghostface.
X (2022)
Ti West's X trilogy is a brilliant and fascinating look at the quest for fame, love, and acceptance, and the evil darkness hidden inside of Pearl (Mia Goth). Jenna Ortega played Lorraine in X, a young woman tagging along with the cast and crew of an adult film because she's dating the director RJ (Owen Campbell). Ortega is impressive as a character who turns her nose up at the movie at first and then realizes that she wants to be in it as she has the desire to feel powerful.
It's telling that Ortega stands out in such an all-star cast, and she and Goth both deliver some of the best horror performances of 2022. Her stand-out scene is when Lorraine is locked in Pearl and Howard's (Stephen Ure) basement and she screams in a haunting manner before trying desperately to escape, which she is almost able to do.
The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)
Jenna Ortega also appeared in The Babysitter: Killer Queen, the 2020 sequel to the 2017 Netflix horror movie The Babysitter. She played Phoebe Atwell, who goes to school with Cole Johnson (Judah Lewis), who is the main character in both films. Once again, Ortega's talents don't go unnoticed, and she plays a fairly significant role in the movie. Phoebe and Cole hide at the cabin that her family owns and fall for each other in the process.
Ortega's dance performance in Wednesday shows some range, and so does her turn in The Babysitter: Killer Queen, as this is a more light-hearted part than some of her other horror roles. Even though this movie didn't receive the best reviews, it's still enjoyable to see the actress.
Studio 666 (2022)
While it's fair to say that not everyone saw Studio 666, it's another great horror movie starring Jenna Ortega. The story follows the Foo Fighters, who play themselves, and Ortega's character, Skye Willow, plays the drums in a heavy metal band, which is a fun departure for the actress. The movie features great performances from hilarious actors known for comedy, from Will Forte to Leslie Grossman, and also has a cameo from John Carpenter, who plays a music studio engineer.
It's possible that Studio 666 got lost in the many impressive horror movies of 2022, and it received a combination of positive and negative reviews. Still, Jenna Ortega fans will want to check it out as once again, she's relatable and believable as a character in a scary and unrealistic situation.