Jenna Ortega shared her horror movie story and how it came together while working on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice while promoting the sequel on a talk show Wednesday.
The 21-year-old actress, during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, was asked by Jimmy, 49, about the first horror movie she saw that got her hooked on the genre.
“Well, I remember the first movie that terrified me. I think the first movie that terrified me was ‘Child’s Play,'” Jenna shared, referencing the 1988 supernatural horror film.
“Chucky,” Jimmy interjected, referring to the murder doll possessed by the soul of a serial killer.
“When I was four or five, I remember just accidentally peeking around the corner because I was so stubborn. And my parents were gone. It was parent-teacher night. And my uncle was watching us and they couldn’t find me for 30 minutes because I was just rocking back and forth in the corner like, ‘He’s going to get me,'” Jenna said.
Jenna Ortega shared her horror movie story and how it came together while working on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice while promoting the sequel on a talk show Wednesday.
“I swear to God. I swear to God. It was in my brother’s closet,” he added.
Jimmy noted that Jenna was “really traumatized,” but now she puts that through people’s paces with her roles in horror films, including The Babysitter: Killer Queen, X, and two Scream films.
“You have to face your own fears,” Jenna joked.
Jenna revealed how her childhood fear came to fruition in Tim Burton’s upcoming sequel, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.
“It’s really weird too because on ‘Beetlejuice’ we did all the practical effects so they’re like toys and interactive things which is way better than staring at a tennis ball while you’re acting,” Jenna said.
“Yes, I see everything that happens in front of me, but it’s also like I’m a doll. Chucky was a doll and now I act with dolls. It’s very strange,” he said.
Jenna shared that she has also been working on the second season of the hit Netflix show Wednesday.
She has taken on the role of producer for the show’s second season.
Michael Keaton appears in a scene from the upcoming sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
The 21-year-old actress, during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, was asked by Jimmy, 49, about the first horror movie she saw that got her hooked on the genre.
“When I was four or five, I remember just staring at you by accident. I was peeking around the corner because I was so stubborn. And my parents were gone. It was parent-teacher night. And my uncle was watching us and they couldn’t find me for 30 minutes because I was just rocking back and forth in the corner like, ‘He’s going to get me,'” Jenna said.
“It’s really weird too because on ‘Beetlejuice’ we did all the practical effects, so they’re like toys and interactive things, which is way better than staring at a tennis ball while you’re acting,” Jenna said.
“Oh my gosh. That was the best thing. I’ve never done that on a TV show before,” Jenna said.
Jenna said they discussed it during the first season and she enjoys being part of the conversations.
“So, you know, I’m the one who decides what color blue someone’s going to be or where their brain goes on the floor,” he said.
Jenna said Wednesday that her role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice arose from her existing relationship with director Tim Burton, 65, and that he “definitely knew about it before I did.”
“I remember hearing about it, because the writers for ‘Wednesday’ are the same as the writers for ‘Beetlejuice.’ I heard about it and I was very excited. I congratulated them. But then I kind of forgot about it and got on with my career, I guess.”
She said she met with Burton again ahead of Wednesday’s premiere, where she asked him for ideas on the second season of the Netflix series.
“When I went to open my journal and pitch these ideas to him, he just put the ‘Beetlejuice’ script in my journal. And he didn’t tell anybody. He just said, ‘Okay. There’s no pressure, Jenna. I think there’s a role for you. But again, if you don’t want to do it, don’t do it,'” she said.
“I got in my car and 10 minutes later I pulled over to the side of the PCH, which is a big highway in California,” he said. “I sat on the rocks in front of the water for an hour. And then I called my team and I said, ‘I can’t tell you what I’m agreeing to, but I’m doing it.'”
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a sequel to the 1988 film Beetlejuice and is scheduled to be released in theaters on September 6.