Jenna Ortega has opened up about one of her most bittersweet “what if” moments: auditioning for Ari Aster’s critically acclaimed horror movie Hereditary early in her career. The star of Wednesday and Scream said in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the experience was both humbling and eye-opening. She called the finished movie “an incredible film” and “an incredible experience,” even though she didn’t get the part.
The casting process for Hereditary was very competitive. Aster and the A24 team were looking for young actors who could be both vulnerable and unnervingly intense for the family-centered possession thriller. Ortega, who was moving from child TV roles to more serious roles, sent in an audition that showed off her range, but she later found out that another actor got the part.
She still says that the near-miss helped her understand how important it is to be truly chosen for a project. “It’s a lot more meaningful when something picks you,” Ortega said, saying that the experience taught her about trust and timing instead of failure. The revelation adds an interesting twist to her origin story for fans: one of modern horror’s most talked-about movies almost became part of her filmography before Wednesday and Scream made her a leading young star in the genre.
