Wednesday star Jenna Ortega was initially “very stressed out” when she struggled to connect with director Tim Burton on the set of the Netflix show, but they eventually formed a strong working relationship.
Jenna Ortega was “very stressed out” when she couldn’t connect with Tim Burton on Netflix show Wednesday.
The actress, 24, recently wrapped on a third season of the supernatural comedy series, but when she first started out on the show she didn’t “click” with director Burton.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Jenna – who plays titular character Wednesday Addams in the series – said: “Tim is very, very shy.
“He’s opened up a bunch, but when you initially start working with him, he does not speak.
“Now I know Tim, but it was things like that that just felt like, ‘OK, well I’m not clicking with him. He’s not speaking to me.’
“To be, you know, 17, 18, in a foreign country with this very big director and feel like I wasn’t connecting… I was very stressed out.”
However, Jenna eventually got into the swing of it as she learned more about Burton, and she admitted the cast and crew on the series “work so well together”.
She added: “That crew, the people, everything about it, they’re so lovely and kind and work so well together.
“The character, [I] first met her maybe six years ago or something, so you definitely fall into the swing of things.
“It’s kind of nice to see everyone at their peak, most comfortable iteration of their characters.”
Last year, Tim admitted he “knew right away” that Jenna Ortega was the perfect candidate to play Wednesday Addams.
Tim, 68 – who directs and executive produces the series – told The Independent: “You can’t just ask somebody to do Wednesday Addams. They have to have it in their DNA.
“Jenna reminds me a bit of what Winona [Ryder] had when I first met her on Beetlejuice. That silent movie actor thing, where they don’t have to say anything. You just have Jenna stare at you, and you knew right away that was Wednesday.”
Tim is best known for his work in the film industry, directing hits such as Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands.
But he’s also enjoyed the “spontaneous approach” of TV directing.
He shared: “You don’t have time to brood, or overthink things.”
Jenna Ortega felt ‘very stressed out’ when she ‘wasn’t connecting’ with top Hollywood director
