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Jenna Ortega is the actress of the moment after her performance as ‘Merlina Addams’ in the new series of Netflix, wednesday produced by Tim Burton, became a success on the streaming platform. From her iconic dance that has become a TikTok trend, to the praise she has received for bringing this lugubrious and eccentric character to life, there is no doubt that the 20-year-old Latina is at her best.
After the premiere of the first season of ‘Merlina’, what has most caught the attention of fans have been the numerous references to Latino and Mexican heritage de Ortega, who although she was born as a United States citizen, has Mexican and Puerto Rican descenta question that was seen in several chapters of the series.
Jenna Ortega’s Mexican roots
Ortega, who was born in coachella, California, in 2002, is the daughter of the Mexican American, Edward A. Ortega and Natalie Ortega, who is Puerto Rican and Mexican. She was in an old interview with the media Pop sugar where Jenna talked a bit more about her Latino ancestry and explained its close link with Mexican culture.
“I am 75 percent Mexican and 25 percent Puerto Rican. My great-grandmother on my mother’s side immigrated from a small ranch near Sinaloa, Mexico. She came to the United States as an illegal immigrant hoping to improve the lives of her four daughters,” she recounted.
On the other hand, Jenna highlighted that her father is 100% Mexican, but her family moved to California several generations ago, so her father does not have a good command of Spanish.
He revealed that his family has kept some traditions, such as piñatas on every birthday and tamales every year at Christmas. He also confessed that his favorite Mexican dishes are the roast beef tacos and the homemade beans.
‘La Llorona’ and other Latin references in ‘Merlina’
If there is something that stands out in ‘Wednesday’, it is the right soundtrack chosen for the series. In fact, one element that pleasantly surprised Mexicans and Chicanos was the scene in which Jenna Ortega, portrayed as ‘Merlina,’ listens on her gramophone. La Llorona from Chavela Vargasone of the most traditional songs of the Central American country.
“I don’t think I remember when ‘La Llorona’ was played, but I was very excited,” Jenna said in an interview.
And it is that Tim Burton’s Netflix series is not only a teenage version for gothic fans, but also a latin version.
Starting with the Hispanic ancestry of Jenna Ortega Y Luis Guzman, the Puerto Rican actor who plays her father, Homero Addams; until pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), brother of ‘Merlina’ in the series, who is seen enjoying a spicy sweet typical of Mexico: an enchilado tamarind.
Another nod to Mexican culture is evident when in episode 6, Wednesday and two of his friends investigate the Gates mansion. There they find a secret compartment where there is an altar with a portrait of Crackstone.
Enid (Emma Myers) freaks out and wonders what family doesn’t have a secret shrine in their library. But then ‘Wednesday’ she replies: “Ours is in the room. More seats for the eternal Day of the Dead”.
Jenna Ortega He has also participated in other productions such as the fifth part of scream (2022), The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020), a Netflix horror comedy and x (2022), a slasher in which he shared the limelight with mia goth. Productions that have earned the title of the new scream queen from Hollywood.
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