Summary:
- Jenna Ortega advocates for women to lead their own original franchises rather than spinoffs.
- She shares a similar view with James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and discussed her role in the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel, set to release on September 6.
Jenna Ortega is calling for more original stories with women in the spotlight. In a recent interview with MTV, the Beetlejuice star emphasized the importance of creating franchises where women lead, rather than simply being the focus of gender-flipped spinoffs.
When host Josh Horowitz asked if she would ever consider playing an “Edith Scissorhands” in a reimagined version of the Johnny Depp classic, Ortega had a different perspective.
“I love that there’s a lot more female leads nowadays, I think that’s so special. But we should have our own,” Ortega expressed. “I don’t like it when it’s like a spinoff.”
She drove the point home by adding, “I don’t want to see like ‘Jamie Bond.’ You know? I want to see just another badass.”
Ortega’s stance aligns with that of James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli, who has been vocal about keeping 007 a male character.
In a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Broccoli stated, “I believe in making characters for women and not just having women play men’s roles. I don’t think there are enough great roles for women, and it’s very important to me that we make movies for women about women.”
Touching on her role in Beetlejuice, Ortega shared how the film’s world, much like Edward Scissorhands, allows for various creative directions.
“The beauty of something like Edward is that it’s very sensitive. Beetlejuice can be original because he doesn’t exist in a specific time. You could make an anthology or go to the future.”
Directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is set to hit theaters on September 6 in the U.S. Ortega stars as Astrid, the daughter of Lydia Deetz (played by Winona Ryder) and the stepgranddaughter of Delia Deetz (Catherine O’Hara), with Michael Keaton reprising his iconic role.
