Jenna Ortegastar of the hit Netflix series “Wednesday,” has been criticized by veteran Hollywood producer and filmmaker Steven DeKnight for her on-set behavior. DeKnight took to Twitter to condemn Ortega’s behavior, which was revealed during an appearance on Dax Shepard’s ‘Armchair Expert’ podcast.
Ortega admitted to changing lines in the script and behaving unprofessionally on set, actions DeKnight called “just” and “beyond toxic.”
DeKnightwho has worked on hit shows like “Daredevil” And “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” said that while he loves “talking to actors about their lines/stories”, sometimes stars “don’t have the full picture (on TV) of where the story is going and why some lines are needed to make the whole thing feel right. ” He also blamed Ortega’s age for her actions, but said she “should” know how things work.
Ortega, who is 20 years old, admitted on the podcast that she “put her foot down” on set, verging on being “unprofessional” for the sake of her Addams family character, of whom she was “very protective”.
She said her character participating in a “love triangle” was “nonsensical,” and she repeatedly told writers, “No” to plot points — sometimes even “changing lines” in the script. She even went so far as to admit that she was dissatisfied with her performance most of the time.
The series has been renewed for a second season
Despite Ortegabehavior, “Wednesday” was a huge success for Netflix. It quickly grew to become the streaming giant’s second-biggest English-language show of all time, racking up 1.02 billion hours watched in the three weeks after its debut on Nov. 16, with more than 150 million viewers.
However, the popularity of the show did not stop the producers from working with Ortega again. Not only will Ortega star in a second season on Wednesday, but she’ll be an executive producer herself.
Ultimately, Ortega’s behavior on set may have been unprofessional, but it didn’t detract from the success of “Wednesday.” It will be interesting to see how her role as executive producer influences the creative process in the second season.