To this day, we’re still blown away by the incredible Jenna Ortega. Here are behind-the-scenes facts about the 14-year-old Nickelodeon star that people probably didn’t know. Who knows, maybe her next appearance on Blue’s Clues will be as herself!
She didn’t start out as an actress
Jenna didn’t start out as an actress. She grew up dancing and singing before she got into acting, even appearing on the show So You Think You Can Dance. One day her mom was looking for new talent for a short film she was working on, and asked Jenna to audition. It turned out that the director of the film had also been working on a new show called Stuck in the Middle, which needed someone to play Harley Diaz, a quirky and precocious tween who loves science experiments and has an imaginary friend named Mr. Legs. The next thing you know, Jenna found herself auditioning for the role of Harley!
She was born in Coachella Valley, California
Jenna Ortega is an American actress best known for portraying Jane Quimby in the Nickelodeon series Drake and Josh and Maya Bennett on the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle. She was born in the Coachella Valley, which is located in southern California. Her mother, Michelle Carrillo, is a teacher, and her father, Robert Ortega Jr., is a business owner. Her brother’s name is Sebastian.
She has been nominated for many awards for her work as an actress including Teen Choice Awards and Young Artist Awards. In 2002 she won a Young Artist Award for her performance in What I Like About You.
Her father is Mexican and her mother is white
Jenna is the daughter of Mexican actor Eduardo Yañez and American actress Barbara Carrera. She has an older sister, Samantha.
Jenna’s father is Mexican actor Eduardo Yañez and her mother is American actress Barbara Carrera (of Spanish descent). Her parents met on the set of the film The Island of Dr. Moreau. Her father has two daughters from a previous relationship, which makes Jenna an only child from this marriage.
She graduated from Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica in 2017 where she studied theater and music theory for four years with a focus on jazz piano.
At age 8, she moved to Los Angeles with her family
Jenna was born in Texas but moved to Los Angeles with her family when she was 8 years old. She had just started third grade, and her mom said it was a difficult decision to uproot the family and move across the country. The move paid off though because now Jenna is on Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle and has released an album of her own songs called This Is Me.
In Stuck in the Middle, Jenna plays Harley Diaz, a wise-beyond-her-years middle child who gives advice to her younger siblings. As for 10 facts about Jenna that people probably didn’t know, here are a few: She can play the guitar, she loves painting animals at home and would like to write a children’s book one day, and she admires Beyoncé. I think I’m most like Harley because we’re both strong females, says Jenna. Her favorite food is pasta! When she grows up (whew), she wants to be an animal doctor or musician. Her favorite movie of all time is White Chicks.
She’s the middle child of three girls
Jenna is the middle child of three girls. Her two sisters are older and younger than her, and she’s always been the peacemaker in their family. She knows that people think of her as this happy, bright person, but she has her dark moments too. I’m very close with my sisters, Jenna says. They were always there for me, and I’m very grateful to them. We’re all so different from each other and I love that about us. Jenna’s lucky to have such a loving family to help keep her grounded.
She started modeling at age 9
One of the most interesting facts about Jenna is that she’s a former model. She started modeling at age 9, and her first job was in 2008 when she was photographed for Teen Vogue by Mario Testino.
She is also a certified expert in makeup artistry and has been doing makeup since she was 12 years old. She starred on Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle as Harley Diaz, which premiered on January 13th, 2016. You might also recognize her from other TV shows like Modern Family and Grey’s Anatomy or movies like Tomorrowland and Pixels (2015).
When she was 11, she booked her first major role in Disney’s Hannah Montana
She was 11 years old when she booked her first major role in Disney’s Hannah Montana. She played a character named Lola, who is the younger sister of Miley Stewart (Hannah Montana). Jenna had to dye her hair blonde for the role, which she did not like at all. But luckily it didn’t take long for her hair to go back to its natural color! Nowadays, Jenna plays the title character on Netflix’s hit show One Day At A Time and still has to wear wigs as part of her costume.
Since then, she’s appeared in a number of films and TV shows
Jenna has also been in a number of films and TV shows, from How to Get Away With Murder to Glee. She’s even had a recurring role on Disney Channel’s Stuck In The Middle.
She recently starred in the film Lemon, which is based on the true story of how a group of teens created a successful app.
Before she found success as an actress, she tried out modeling and even got her own reality show with her sister called Jenna & Juliana: Still Rockin’ It.
