Jenna Ortega Opens Up About Growing Up In Hollywood

While Jenna Ortega found fame early as a child actor, she still questions whether Hollywood is truly the best place for young children.

The “Quiet on Set” docuseries has become a hot topic ever since it was released on MAX. The series delves into the troubling aspects of children’s television, highlighting issues such as abuse, exploitation, and the immense pressures young stars face while navigating the intricate world of Hollywood.

Many actors and actresses have watched the series and have released statements, including those of Josh Peck, Ariana Grande, and Elizabeth Gillies.

Although Ortega has not yet watched the docuseries, her mother did and expressed relief that Ortega did not experience similar traumatic events. Ortega credits her safety to her family’s vigilant oversight but acknowledges that she faced some negative experiences herself.

“Just speaking about my career as a child overall, there were definitely a few moments where you realized, ‘Oh, maybe that person didn’t have my best interests,’ or maybe they didn’t want to be as supportive of me as they said,” she told The New York Times.

“And that’s a hard lesson to learn so young, and especially hard when you have adults or people who should know better addressing you in a way that is potentially harmful to somebody whose brain is still growing and developing,” the actress added.

The Wednesday actress also admitted that while she found fame as a child, she doesn’t think the work environment is ideal for someone so young.

“Children aren’t supposed to be working like that,” Ortega told the outlet. “They are supposed to be climbing trees and drawing and going to school. Some of those kids’ parents don’t even take school seriously, so I feel really, really fortunate to have had parents who made sure that I hung out with friends, made sure that I went to public school and wouldn’t allow me to work on a job unless I had straight A’s and was prioritizing my sleep and my schoolwork.”

“Child acting is strange,” she added. “I see why my parents felt so hesitant about it, because you’re putting a child in an adult workplace. I think if I had just stayed growing up in Coachella Valley, I would be a completely different person.”

Although she recognizes that Hollywood isn’t the healthiest for a child, Ortega explains that she wouldn’t change her past.

“There’s times that I regret it; there’s times that my parents regret it. Looking back, I wouldn’t change anything,” she told the New York Times. “I don’t believe in that because if anything, I’m incredibly grateful for the lessons that it did teach me.”

“I love that when I go on a set now, I’m incredibly knowledgeable,” the 21-year-old added. “I know what the camera verbiage means, I know what a grip’s job is, I know what a gaffer’s job is, I can get along with the [director of photography], I can go through shot lists. I understand it all. I know what’s going on around me, therefore I feel incredibly safe and comfortable and excited to go to work every day because it’s familiar to me.”

The now 21-year-old admitted that she “wouldn’t speak the way that I do or approach interactions the way that I do.”

“It’s completely changed my way of thinking and going about life, and when I speak to other child actors, I can pick them out instantly because we all have that,” she said. “It’s just very specific, like some secret little language or something that we all share.”

“Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV” is currently streaming on MAX.