Jenna Ortega takes her coffee exactly as you’d expect: “Black,” she says decisively, wrapped in a gray hotel robe with perfectly messy bedhead. “Just black. I can do espresso or an Americano; depending on the weather, I might add ice. But at home, I have coffee before I even brush my teeth.”
She needs the caffeine. It’s early morning in London’s Westminster neighborhood, eight hours ahead of her West Coast home, and the start of a busy press tour for season two of Netflix and Tim Burton’s Wednesday. Throughout the five-city tour, all of Ortega’s beauty looks—created by makeup artist Melanie Inglessis and hairstylist Cesar Deleon Ramirez—share one secret: the actor, a Dior makeup ambassador, has been testing the brand’s new long-wear lipstick, Rouge Dior On Stage. The shades are designed to last 24 hours, so it feels fitting to spend the day together. (Sadly, no pillow talk reveal is in the cards.)
As we sit down to an unusual room service spread—hummus with crudité and fruit—Ortega tells me she’s “really not a morning person.” Just then, we hear a shriek from outside the hotel suite window, and I realize we’re across from the King’s Guard and their famously feisty horses. “Even if I wanted to, I just wouldn’t make sense,” she says. “I think I’d identify with those biting horses.”
A morning star. Ortega wears a hotel robe and just a touch of Rouge Dior On Stage in shade 120 on her lips.
It’s time to get ready for a busy day—Wednesday isn’t going to promote itself—and the 22-year-old gives me full control of the music to “set the vibe.” Under normal circumstances, I’d never volunteer for this, especially with someone I’ve just met, so the pressure is on. I want to seem tasteful and cool, but Ortega delivers the ultimate challenge: no pop. Scrambling for inspiration, I spot my tote bag from the now-closed Vampire’s Wife brand, founded by British goth icon Susie Cave. Her husband, Nick, is a musician. Bingo. “Great choice,” she says as the first notes of “Into My Arms” fill the room. “I saw him in concert earlier this year. Susie is a real-life Morticia.”
Ortega first fell in love with Tim Burton’s world when she saw Mars Attacks!, which came out six years before she was born. “Sarah Jessica Parker on a Chihuahua changed my life,” she says while getting ready in the bathroom. “It was the first film I remember seeing and thinking, What is this world?”
Ortega’s outfit offers a glimpse of one of Paris Fashion Week’s most anticipated debuts: Jonathan Anderson’s first women’s show at Dior. The look features a knit striped sweater paired with a white skirt and pumps adorned with tiny black bows. The skirt is decorated with small shells carved into a garland of lily of the valley flowers. The finishing touch is a swipe of Rouge Dior On Stage #550, a classic red. “A red lip isn’t casual for me, though I wish it was,” she says after touching up her Cupid’s bow. “Naturally, I lean toward a nude lip because it’s safe and consistent. But a red lip feels like armor. It’s a statement.”
The flowers on Ortega’s skirt gently chime together as she moves around the room, creating a soft, musical sound—a nod to Mr. Dior, who was famously superstitious and often wore lily of the valley tucked into his suit pocket.
“I don’t really have a lucky charm I carry with me,” Ortega reflects after hearing about Mr. Dior’s superstitions. “But I have pretty intense OCD, so I’ve had the exact same routine for seven years. I count to a certain number in the shower. I put my clothes on in a specific order. If I’m having a bad day and I don’t know why, it’s because I put the wrong soI’m very aware of first impressions—starting off on the wrong foot, things like that. I know it might sound a little silly, and I can admit that, but it also gives me a sense of comfort.
If this were a dream weekend night back home, Ortega says she’d begin with a long walk. “I’d want to spend time in a park or a cemetery,” she shares. “Maybe catch a show at the theater, then meet friends at a bar for a few drinks. They might go for dinner after, but I’d probably just head home and read.” Right now, she’s carrying around Equus, Peter Shaffer’s 1973 play about a boy with religious visions involving horses. “I like reading plays between jobs because they’re a bit easier to get through,” she adds.
When it comes to her own style, no character—not Wednesday Addams or Astrid Deetz from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice—has shaped her personal beauty look. “There have been jobs where I’ve thought, ‘Oh, I really love this lip color.’ But when I try to wear it later, I can’t, because all I see is the character,” she says as our conversation wraps up. “I’m in a phase of exploration right now, and I don’t want to feel tied down to any one thing. When you have the chance to play, why not take it?”
Styling by Enrique Melendez
Makeup by Mélanie Inglessis
Hair by Cesar Deleon Ramirez
Nails by Chisato Yamamoto
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about 24 Hours in the Life of Jenna Ortega designed to sound natural and provide clear direct answers
General Beginner Questions
Q What is 24 Hours in the Life of Jenna Ortega
A Its a popular concept often a video or article that follows actress Jenna Ortega through a full day showing her routine work meals and downtime
Q Why are people so interested in her daily routine
A Fans are curious about the real person behind the famous roles Its inspiring to see how she balances a demanding career with selfcare and a normal life
Q Where can I watch or read about her 24hour day
A You can find these videos on YouTube channels like Vogues 24 Hours series or in interviews and articles on entertainment websites
Q Does she really film her entire day
A Not literally every minute Its a curated look usually filmed on a specific day to show a representative sample of her life and work
Daily Routine Habits
Q What time does Jenna Ortega usually wake up
A It varies but from her routines she often wakes up around 7 or 8 AM when shes not on an extremely early call time for work
Q Whats the first thing she does in the morning
A She often mentions drinking water making her bed and sometimes doing a quick skincare routine to start her day
Q What does she typically eat in a day
A She has shared that she enjoys a balanced diet with foods like avocado toast smoothies salads and tacos She focuses on eating whole nutritious foods
Q Does she work out Whats her exercise routine
A Yes she stays active Her routine includes a mix of activities like pilates stretching light weight training or going for walks rather than intense daily gym sessions
Q How does she wind down at the end of the day
A She often talks about reading watching a movie or show spending time with family or her dogs and doing her nighttime skincare routine to relax
Career WorkLife Balance
Q How does she prepare for a role or an audition
A She takes her craft seriously often reading the script thoroughly