Jenna Ortega: “We need to see weird, disturbing stories again”

I liked it very much Beetlejuice When I saw him as a child. It is a cult film. What is your relationship with this film?
I have always loved this movie. I think I first saw it at a friend’s house. After that, whenever it was on television, often on Halloween, I watched it. In fact, I think I knew who Beetlejuice was before I saw the movie. I also knew who Lydia was. I recognized the costume. We saw them everywhere on Halloween.

We will definitely see them again everywhere!
Yes, I am very happy that the film universe has been resurrected. Today, studios want to attract people to theaters. And for that, they do reboots or sequels, but I think bringing Beetlejuice to life is different. That’s a good thing because we need to see strange, disturbing stories again. We need to show art to the younger generations who are always on their smartphones. So weird.

Can you tell us who you are playing and what happens in the film?
I don’t know what I can reveal, but basically, I’m Astrid, Lydia Dietz’s daughter. It’s weird, different, but not in the way you might think. The relationship between Lydia and Astrid is very important. It’s about making up for lost time and putting the pieces back together. This is great if you love Lydia’s character and can’t wait to reconnect with her.

I’m trying to imagine what your character looks like. You are the rebellious and eccentric daughter of Lydia, and as a result, I imagine someone bright, sunny, cheerful.
(Laughs) I wouldn’t say it’s bright and sunny. Astrid is not against Lydia. All rebellious children want to get away from their parents. They oppose everything their parents like. Astrid too, but that doesn’t mean she wears pink and becomes a cheerleader. Let’s say she positions herself against her mother’s past.

In the first Beetlejuice, Lydia says: “I myself am strange and unusual.” This quote is cult.
Yes. To me, Lydia is truly the coolest character ever. It was not easy for me to play someone who rolls her eyes when she speaks! But it was there, it was still super fun to play.

You said that the episodes of the new season Wednesday were independent of each other, that each was a kind of mini-film in itself, and that it leaned more towards horror.
Yes, that’s what I remember from the scripts I’ve read. We haven’t started shooting. Two years will have passed by the time the shooting of the second season begins. Besides, I’m currently wondering if I shouldn’t prepare myself. I don’t consider myself a fan of “method acting”. On the other hand, I think it’s important to gradually immerse yourself in your character’s world and get comfortable with the character, especially when you’re supposed to be playing him for a long time. So, maybe it’s time for me to be a little more sarcastic and watch movies that put me in the mood. Beetlejuice!

Reading the scripts was interesting. I loved discovering new characters. The universe is supernatural. The series already includes some sort of werewolves and vampires, but we’re going a little further this time.