“Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday Writing Sparks Creativity: Protesters Use Her Comments as Inspiration for Strike Picket Signs”
Jenna Ortega, the star of Netflix’s hit series “Wednesday,” made waves in March when she admitted during an interview on the Armchair Expert podcast that she sometimes made changes to her lines while filming.
Some writers have now used her comments as fodder for their picket signs during the ongoing writers’ strike. House Party writer Brandon Cohen held a sign that said, “Without writers, Jenna Ortega will have nothing to punch up!” While some have seen the picket signs as a joke, Ortega’s fans have taken to Twitter to defend her.
The actor made headlines —for better or worse — in March after saying in an interview on the Armchair Expert podcast that she would periodically start “changing lines” while working on Netflix’s hit series, Wednesday. Ortega starred in the titular role.
“Just Roll With It” and “House Party” writer Brandon Cohen’s #writersstrike sign:
“Without writers, Jenna Ortega will have nothing to punch up!”
https://t.co/dZAklOuSmR pic.twitter.com/yxHdyJ1OVR
— Variety (@Variety) May 3, 2023
Rewriting is writing! See you at the line, Jenna! 🖤 https://t.co/9S3TfBXW4c
— Karen Joseph Adcock (@ckharyn) May 3, 2023
Ortega’s comments about changing lines caused a stir in March, with many questioning whether actors should have the freedom to make changes to the script.
In the interview, Ortega revealed that she had to put her foot down on the “Wednesday” set at times when certain scenes and dialogue didn’t make sense for her character. Despite her concerns, the show was renewed for a second season on Netflix, and Ortega is expected to be nominated for an Emmy for her role.
Now, with the ongoing writers’ strike, it’s unclear when production will begin on the new season of “Wednesday.” The strike began on May 1 and is now entering its first full week of protesting. In 2007, the last time a major strike took place, the protests went on for 100 days and cost the industry nearly $2 billion in lost revenue.
As the writers’ strike continues, it’s clear that the relationship between actors and writers is still a contentious issue. While some have used Ortega’s comments as a joke, others have defended her right to speak out about the script.
It remains to be seen how the strike will play out and whether actors will continue to have the freedom to make changes to the script.
