Jenna Ortega’s Horror Roots: From Insidious 2 to Scream Queen
Jenna Ortega is one of the most prominent scream queens of the 2020s, but her roots in horror date back to 2013 when she played the role of Annie in Insidious 2. Although her role was small, she appeared in the final scene of the film, where she saw the ghost of Elise Rainier, played by Lin Shaye.
Ortega’s performance as the young girl who knew what she saw was convincing, making her a standout in the film. Despite her small role, it marked the beginning of her journey as a scream queen. Almost a decade later, Ortega became the face of Gen Z horror, starring in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), as well as Ti West’s X (2022).
However, Ortega’s most iconic role to date is her portrayal of Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday. Her performance has garnered widespread acclaim, cementing her status as a leading lady in the horror genre.
Although Ortega never reprised her role as Annie in the Insidious franchise, there was talk of setting up a return for her character. However, the franchise took a different direction, focusing on Elise Rainier in Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015). The franchise has continued to thrive, with the most recent film, Insidious: The Red Door (2023), marking Patrick Wilson’s directorial debut.
The success of the franchise has led to the announcement of Insidious 6, as well as a spin-off film called Thread, starring Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani. While it would be exciting to see Ortega reprise her role as Annie, the franchise is clearly moving in the right direction. Meanwhile, Ortega continues to thrill audiences with her other projects, solidifying her position as a leading lady in the horror genre.
