While promoting her highly anticipated film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Jenna Ortega opens up about an iconic role she didn’t get.
The 21-year-old actress – who plays Astrid Deetz, the daughter of Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz in the sequel – did a puppy interview with BuzzFeed celebrity.
When asked what role fans would be surprised if she auditioned for, Ortega revealed that she auditioned for Zendaya’s role as Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films.
“I think I auditioned for Dune when I was about 15,” the actress said, though she added that the audition process was pretty secretive.
“I remember being a huge fan of that movie and the franchise and all that stuff, and I was really excited about that interview because Denis is one of my favorite filmmakers,” she added.
While promoting her highly anticipated film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Jenna Ortega opens up about an iconic role she didn’t get.
When asked what role fans would be surprised if she auditioned for, Ortega revealed that she auditioned for Zendaya’s Chani role in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films
When asked what role she auditioned for, Ortega said, “I think it was Chani, and I think it was Zendaya’s role, but they didn’t say, it was all very secret.”
Villeneuve signed on to direct both Dune films in January 2017, but he had to finish Blade Runner 2049 before he could begin work on the film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic 1965 novel.
In 2018, he announced that the film adaptation would consist of two films. That year, Timothee Chalamet also signed on for the role of Paul Atreides.
While it’s not known exactly when auditions were held for the role of Chani that Zendaya would ultimately win, Ortega would have been 15 if she had auditioned before September 2018.
Zendaya was announced as Chani in January 2019, and while she would only appear briefly in 2021’s Dune, she would play a major role in the 2024 sequel Dune: Part Two.
2021’s Dune grossed $108.8 million in the US and $407.5 million worldwide, against a budget of $165 million. These are strong numbers, especially when you consider that the film was simultaneously streamed on Max.
The 2024 sequel Dune: Part Two grossed $282.1 million in the US and $711.8 million worldwide, despite a budget of $190 million earlier this year.
The year Ortega — who made her debut on the Disney Channel sitcom Stuck in the Middle — stepped away from her role as a child actress on You and The Babysitter: The Killer Queen.
The year Ortega — who made her debut on the Disney Channel sitcom Stuck in the Middle — stepped away from her role as a child actress on You and The Babysitter: The Killer Queen.
She made her breakthrough with the general public in 2022 with the hit film Scream and her immensely popular Netflix series Wednesday
Her film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will hit theaters the following day, on September 6, and she has Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun in theaters in 2025.
Her film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will hit theaters the following day, on September 6, and she has Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun in theaters in 2025.
She made her breakthrough with the general public in 2022 with the hit film Scream and her immensely popular Netflix series Wednesday.
Ortega has already starred in two films this year: Miller’s Girl with Martin Freeman and Winter Spring Summer or Fall, which will be in theaters from September 5.
Her film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released in theaters the following day, on September 6, and her Taika Waititi film Klara and the Sun will be released in 2025.
She also has Wednesday’s second season scheduled for 2025, with filming already starting in May.