As her career continues to accelerate, actress Jenna Ortega remains focused on portraying complex characters through collaborations with leading directors. The 20-year-old star, known for roles in the Netflix series “Wednesday” and films by Tim Burton, revealed she had auditioned in the past for a part in Denis Villeneuve’s blockbuster “Dune.”
While she did not earn a role in that production, Ortega maintains a strong admiration for Villeneuve’s visionary work. With the “Dune” franchise now growing across multiple planned films and a new TV series, the expanding story could present future opportunities for talented actors like Ortega.
In a recent interview, Ortega opened up about her attempt several years ago to join the cast of Villeneuve’s 2020 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal science fiction novel. Though details of the needed role remained covert, she believes it was likely that of Chani, eventually portrayed by Zendaya. “I remember just being a big fan of that film and the franchise,” said Ortega. While she did not secure a place in the star-studded cast, the young actress holds Villeneuve in high regard as “one of my favorite filmmakers.”
As the “Dune” franchise expands with an upcoming third movie and an HBO series set millennia before the events of the films, speculation has arisen among fans around potential future roles for Ortega within this expounded universe. Warner Bros. has provisionally scheduled an untitled Denis Villeneuve project for 2026 that may relate to “Dune,” fueling this conjecture.
For now, Ortega focuses on current commitments like reprising her role as Wednesday Addams in the second season of Netflix’s “Wednesday.” She noted the prominence of major scenes she is filming for episodes 201 and 204. In another career advancement, Ortega also joined the production team as a producer—a choice reflecting both her deep investment in the project and desire for input on creative decisions. “With someone like Wednesday, who is in every scene, it only makes sense for that person to be that involved in what’s going on behind the scenes,” she reasoned.
While pursuing active roles in well-regarded projects, Ortega’s disclosure of her interest in the “Dune” franchise offers insight into her ambition to work with innovative directors as her career ascends. With the expansive future planned for this sci-fi world, her dream may yet become reality.
