Mar 29, 20222 min read

The Year of Jenna Ortega is Here

It's her world, and we're all just living in it TBH

Jenna Ortega is in full bloom on the big screen, leaving no room to question whether she’ll be coined the next young cinematic star following the gold-dusted pathway of other ex-Disney darlings like Selena Gomez and Zendaya.

If you don’t already have the name stitched inside your head, you surely will after countless encounters with her through her booked-and-busy 2022 film reel.

The 19-year-old, who started out on the Disney Channel show “Stuck in the Middle,” is the latest to shed her Minnie Mouse ears.

This year alone, she has starred in three major films — the first being “The Fallout,” which began streaming on HBO Max Jan. 27.

“The Fallout” follows Ortega’s character Vada Cavell, a high school student navigating the trauma of living through a school shooting. She acts alongside fellow childhood starlet of Dance Moms origin, Maddie Ziegler, who plays Mia Reed.

An unsuspecting relationship between the two girls develops after bonding over shared trauma when a bathroom encounter filled with fluttering lashes, brisk compliments and nervous laughter turns into crouching across from each other on a toilet in a closed stall, fearful for their lives.

Ortega’s performance is authentic and entrancing, sending waves of emotion for the audience to become swept away in with her.

She further secured her place as the next big thing after being entrusted with the notorious opening scene in the newest addition to the “Scream” franchise, “Scream 5.”

Her role as Tara Carpenter granted her final girl status, alongside horror icons Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox).

Finally, Ortega put on her best indie-girl performance in A24’s latest production, “X.”

“X” follows a low-budget adult film crew attempting to make their latest piece on a property owned by a decrepit duo with plans to prevent the pornographic production.

Ortega plays Lorainne, a woman who starts the film behind the camera with a cross dangling from her neck and gradually becomes the character wearing underwear stamped with the sacred word “Sunday” after she decides she would like to try her hand in front of the camera.

Even with the nickname “Church Mouse,” Ortega shines in the role, and all the others mentioned.

Her next acting gig is as Wednesday Adams in the upcoming Netflix series “Wednesday.”

The “X-factor” is obviously there. And it’s clearly only upward from here for Miss Ortega.

Jillian Rodriguez is an Online Writer at Rowdy Magazine. You can find her sitting in her bedroom under a mirrorball listening to Taylor Swift, sipping iced coffee, and contemplating which seemingly mundane moments of life to add to her many drafts; maybe you’ll show up in her writing one day. You can reach her at @jillygabrielle on Instagram for more info.