Jenna Ortega says she expects to take a break from television once Netflix’s hit series “Wednesday” reaches its conclusion.
During an appearance on Josh Horowitz’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, released Thursday, Ortega said she has not been actively discussing another major franchise.
“I actually haven’t had a lot of franchise conversations. I haven’t,” the actress said. “But what I’m meant to do will come and find me. I think after ‘Wednesday,’ I’ll probably be off TV for a while.”
Ortega explained that she has already spent “many years” working in television.
Now 24, she recalled moving from one series to another throughout her childhood and said she wants to create room in her life for different opportunities.
The upcoming season of “Wednesday,” scheduled to premiere in 2027, will bring Ortega back as the Addams family’s morbidly fascinated gothic daughter.
She will again share the screen with Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams in the Tim Burton-directed Netflix series.
Netflix confirmed that production on Season 3 began in February, while also announcing that Ortega’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” co-star Winona Ryder and actress Eva Green had joined the cast.
The streaming service later revealed in September that filming on the third season had concluded, describing the production as having “met its grave.”
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Since its 2022 debut, “Wednesday” has become one of Netflix’s biggest successes. The series has collected four Emmy wins so far, along with numerous nominations, including recognition for Ortega. Season 2 premiered in 2025.
Ortega began building her acting career in the early 2010s, appearing in television projects including “Jane the Virgin,” “Stuck in the Middle” and “You.”
She has also spoken candidly about the pressures of growing up in the entertainment business. Earlier this year, Ortega said that as a child performer she once spent an entire day on set without eating or drinking.
Her film credits include “Iron Man 3” (2013), “The Fallout” (2021), “X” (2022) and “Death of a Unicorn” (2025).
Taking a step back from a major franchise would not be unprecedented for Ortega. She left the “Scream” series after appearing in 2022’s “Scream,” the fifth installment, and 2023’s “Scream VI.”
In a 2025 interview with The Cut, Ortega said her decision was influenced by the firing of her on-screen sister, Melissa Barrera, after Barrera expressed support for Palestine during the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza.
Ortega also pointed to the departure of “Scream” directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin ahead of 2026’s “Scream VII.”
“The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart,” Ortega told The Cut. “If ‘Scream VII’ wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.”
Ortega has also revealed that she once came close to leaving acting entirely, before securing her role on “You.” She discussed the turning point earlier this year while speaking with her “X” co-star Kid Cudi on his podcast.
“It just felt like a good time to call it quits if I was going to,” she said.