Wednesday star Jenna Ortega has spilt the beans about a hush-hush audition she reckons was for the blockbuster hit Dune. The Netflix icon suspects she was in the running to play Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s grand adaptation of the classic science fiction tome by Frank Herbert.
In a recent tell-all, the 21-year-old let slip: “I think I auditioned for Dune when I was about 15.”
Ortega, a self-proclaimed admirer of both the Dune saga and Villeneuve’s cinematic magic, reminisced over her excitement at the time, remarking: “I remember being a big fan of that film and that franchise and everything like that and being really excited for that interview because Denis is one of my favourite filmmakers.”
The actress, globally recognized for her role as Wednesday Addams, guesses it was for Zendaya’s part she auditioned, reports the Mirror.
During an exclusive chinwag with Buzzfeed, she divulged: “I think it was Chani. I think it was Zendaya’s. But they weren’t saying that. Everything was very secret.”
Zendaya, now aged 27, bagged the coveted role in January 2019, appearing alongside Timothee Chalamet, 28, who plays Paul Atreides.
Jenna, who has been in the acting game since her younger years, revealed some twinges of remorse over her fledgling days while lauding her mum’s unfailing vigilance in a chat with the New York Times.
She stated to the outlet: “My mother had seen the way that other children maybe weren’t protected or weren’t as looked after.”
She further commented: “She watched over me like a hawk, so I think for her, it was more empathizing and wishing she somehow could have done something to help.”
Reflecting on the support from her mother, Jenna added: “She just called me saying she was so grateful that things were OK and that she was there to witness everything.”
Jenna has been vocal about her appreciation for her mother’s unwavering support, admitting she “wouldn’t change anything” about her career path.
Her rise to fame came after her successful role in the comedy series Jane The Virgin a decade ago, and she has since demonstrated her versatility in projects such as Netflix’s You, Yes Day, and more recently, The Fallout, Wednesday, and the iconic Scream franchise.
The second season of Wednesday is anticipated to be released by Netflix in late 2024 or early 2025.
Dune: Prophecy is scheduled to premiere in November 2024 on HBO and HBO Max. In the UK, it will be available exclusively on Sky and NOW.