Jenna Ortega discusses how her experience on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice differed from her past work with Tim Burton on Wednesday. Ortega first worked with Burton when she played the titular character in Wednesday season 1, a part which earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. Ortega teamed up with Burton again for 2024’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, wherein she played Lydia Deetz’s daughter Astrid.

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Ortega details how working with Burton on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice differed from her experience on Wednesday. While he was still “energetic” on the show, the director transformed for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, wherein he had this “childlike excitement and wonder and spontaneity.” Check out the full quote from Ortega below:

Jenna Ortega: I caught [Tim Burton] a year before all this happened, in Romania shooting Wednesday. And I remember he was always so kind and so pleasant, and he was very energetic and if someone was doing a stunt, he would do it first to show it – very hands-on.

But I will say it was a very different experience doing this movie with him, because it was that childlike excitement and wonder and spontaneity, and you could tell his gears were turning. He was just very obviously invested, and that was so exciting and pushed us to take it further and give more and do more. It just felt so collaborative and nice and safe. It was very sweet to see.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Got Tim Burton Back Into Film

The Director Was Hesitant About Ever Making More Movies

Before embarking on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Burton originally reported that he was not interested in going back into film. His previous feature had been the live-action adaptation of Dumbo in 2019, after which he felt he’d “had enough with studios.” This disinterest in the medium is part of what led the director to make Wednesday, as it would allow him the opportunity to further explore the potential in his television career.

Interestingly enough, Ortega has described the opposite when it came to taking her Wednesday role. The actor has expressed that she was originally hesitant to accept, due to her growing interest in exploring the film side of her career. As a child actor, Ortega had grown up appearing on Disney Channel and as young Jane in Jane the Virgin, so TV was how she spent the majority of her career. Film opportunities like The Fallout and X were her opportunities to establish herself on the silver screen, whereas Wednesday would be a return to form.

Wednesday proved to be a star-making project for Ortega, as the show became one of Netflix’s biggest hits of all time. She and Burton are both returning for season 2, which is currently in production.

So, Wednesday and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice pushed Ortega and Burton, respectively, into areas of their careers that they were not as sure about exploring. This makes it such that the pair could grow into their roles together, pushing each other in each medium in the process. Based on the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailers, it is evident why Burton might look to the film as a creative reinvigoration. LIke its ’80s predecessor, the supernatural romp looks to be raucous and genuine fun. Burton’s experience with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice could even inspire him to make more movies.