Jenna Ortega can finally embrace her inner goth: ‘I’ve always respected goth culture’

Jenna Ortega has been such a huge breakout over the past year. It really started (for most of us) with her portrayal of Wednesday Addams, a perfect update on the beloved character via Tim Burton and Netflix. Jenna has been acting for a decade, but it’s only now, with Wednesday’s massive success, that she’s being invited to all of the big events and expected to wear couture. She’s only 20 years old, and she’s navigating this new stardom really well, at least that’s how it seems to me. Jenna recently chatted with British Vogue about the changes in her style, embracing her freckles and her respect for “goth culture.”

She keeps it simple when it comes to beauty rituals: “Maybe it’s because of my chaotic lifestyle, but I find myself really drawn to a more minimalist, neutral aesthetic. Oftentimes, I’m away from home, so I need things that are comforting, relieving, and relaxing; clean.”

She’s the new face of the fragrance Gris Dior. “That was really exciting,” she says of her involvement with the iconic French house. Not just because she loves the fragrance’s super balanced unisex notes or because “the bottle is also cute on its own,” but because working with fashion legends Bardia Zeinali and Mikael Jansson on the campaign was a breath of fresh air: “I felt like I was really encouraged to be myself—I felt throughout the entire process that I could go with my own gut instinct and do whatever felt authentic and natural to me.”

She’s a people-pleaser: “I mean, I’ve been acting for over a decade now, so I know what it’s like to not necessarily be heard or feel like I have a voice.I kind of had a hard time growing up because I was such a people pleaser; I was so desperate to be whatever I felt people wanted me to be. And I felt like the traditional beauty standards really affected me; they didn’t always resonate with me.”

Getting bangs & dyeing her hair black for Wednesday: “Up until then I was really, really attached to my long hair. Changing it encouraged me to be more adventurous; to experiment and be more creative in that way.”

Respect for goth culture: “I’ve always respected goth culture. I’ve always had a darker sense of humor, but I never felt like I was able to express that. Now I feel like I can embrace those qualities in myself.”

She’s also embracing her freckles. “There was a time when I went the heavy makeup route for sure. But I’ve definitely learned that beauty is more about enhancing your natural features rather than trying to cover them up. I’ve realized that less is more.”

[From British Vogue]

Something I really enjoy is that she’s kind of a theme-dresser in a great way. She knows that most people associate her with Wednesday, so instead of trying to distance herself from that, Jenna has just gone full goth-girl on red carpets. Maybe that will even turn out to be her favorite aesthetic, although who knows. Less IS more, especially when you’re younger. Although when you’re younger, that’s when you want to experiment and try out different aesthetics. I’d love it if “minimalist goth” became a thing. Because I think that’s where I am?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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4 Responses to “Jenna Ortega can finally embrace her inner goth: ‘I’ve always respected goth culture’”

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  1. Lucía says:

    Kinda reminds me of when Rooney Mara got her breakthrough with Dragon Tattoo and has been eternally goth-chic every since. Jenna’s take on that style is more playful and fun, though.

  2. Christine says:

    Now this is a look to bring back!

    • BothSidesNow says:

      Yes!!! I am all for goth coming back as it’s such a fun and diverse genre to play with, as opposed to the early ‘90’s aught years of travesty.

      I actually like the goth look, though I couldn’t pull it off as I am 60 but I like for those who are drawn to it to have a resurrection back into it, as it was treated poorly when it was all around.

  3. Bee says:

    Minimalist goth is already a thing! Gotch culture still exists. You’ve got your elder goths, your formal goths, your perky goths, punk goths… look up Gotik Treffen for tons of photos.