‘Wednesday’ Star Jenna Ortega Experiences ‘Post-Work Depression’
Jenna Ortega is booked and busy. Even before she received recognition for her titular role in the highly-popular Netflix series, Wednesday, she had multiple projects in the works. But it seems that Ortega truly enjoys staying super busy. In fact, Ortega loves her work so much that when she has bouts of time off, she experiences a bit of depression.
Jenna Ortega is finally working on movies and TV shows that feed her creatively
At 20, Ortega has been a professional actor for over a decade. Longtime fans of The Fallout actor will recognize her from shows like Jane the Virgin and Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle. But while Ortega was a child star who grew up in the entertainment industry, she’s just now starting to get work that she feels deeply connected to. While talking to Olivia Rodrigo for The Face, the You alum reflected on the career shift she experienced in 2022.
“Now that I’m here, especially this year, I feel that I’m just now starting to see scripts that I’m interested in doing and projects that creatively fulfill me,” Ortega explained. “As an actor, that’s all you’re chasing and that’s all you could want. I would say I’m pretty tired, but when I’m not working, I lose my mind.”
The ‘Wednesday’ star gets candid about experiencing post-work depression
Not only does Ortega lose her mind when she’s not working, but she also experiences bouts of depression. Perhaps this is why Ortega loves bouncing from project to project with little downtime in her schedule. While her filming schedule might seem brutal to some, the Wednesday star finds it extremely exciting.
“It’s an awful feeling,” Ortega explained about not working. “You get that post-work depression, and when you have jobs that don’t give you much time to rest, you’re not depressed about whether or not you’re going to be going on to the next one. It’s a weird feeling. I’m just excited about the stuff that I’ve been doing recently. That’s the best feeling.”
Continuing on, Ortega admitted that she’s not sure how to navigate so much free time. She admitted to Rodrigo that she was currently in between projects at the time of their conversation, and she had no clue how to manage her light schedule. “I just got here in LA, and I don’t know what to do with myself,” Ortega admitted. “I’m kicking rocks in the corner.”
Ortega has many projects in the works, including one with her ‘Wednesday’ co-star, Percy Hynes White
But it seems that Ortega’s post-work depression would be short-lived. She has a number of new projects in the works and has shared behind-the-scenes footage of life on set. One project, in particular, that fans are excited about is Winter Spring Summer Or Fall, which Ortega will star in opposite her Wednesday co-star, Percy Hynes White (Xavier). Considering Ortega will also serve as an executive producer on the film, it seems she’ll have plenty to keep her busy.
