The TV producer who called Jenna Ortega “entitled” and “toxic” for “public shit” on the writers of “Wednesday” clarified his comments.
Earlier, Ortega said that at times she became “almost unprofessional”, “changing lines” on the set of the popular Netflix show, because she felt “very, very careful” of her heroine.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had to put as much pressure on a set as I did on Wednesday because it’s so easy to fall into that category, especially with this type of show,” Ortega said of her. initial rejection of the script.
“Everything she does, everything I had to play, made absolutely no sense to her heroine. Her being in a love triangle didn’t make sense. There was a phrase about this dress that she should wear to the school dance, and she said, “Oh, my God, I like this.” Oh, I can’t believe I said that. I literally hate myself.” And I had to say, “No, it’s impossible.”
Steven Denight, who worked on the Netflix series “Daredevil” and “Jupiter’s Legacy,” and directed “Pacific Rim: Uprising,” earlier this week criticized Ortega’s intervention and suggested that she could have solved her problems more professionally.
“She’s young, so maybe she doesn’t know any better (but she should),” DeNite wrote on Twitter. “She should also ask herself how she would feel if the showrunners gave interviews and talked about how difficult she was and refused to perform the material.”
He added: “This kind of statement is illegal and toxic. I love her work, but life is too short to deal with such people in business.”
She’s young, so maybe she doesn’t know any better (but she should). She should also ask herself how she would feel if the showrunners gave an interview and talked about how difficult she was and refused to perform the material.
— Steven DeKnight (@stevendeknight) March 7, 2023
However, faced with a negative reaction to his comments, DeNite took the opportunity to clarify what he meant in the following tweet.
“My comments were about how to destroy the trust that we all have on set and during the production process that our creative differences will remain in the family,” Denight wrote in response to a tweet criticizing him for “shit” on Ortega.
“It was never about her creative concerns, which were valid. Or about her performance, which was fantastic. I sincerely hope that this will clarify the situation.”
He continued, “Again, I can’t stress enough: she’s an amazing talent. It was just an unfortunate situation to publicly flaunt creative differences, and I also recognize that writers are on edge because of the impending strike, including me. A perfect storm.”
Absolutely! Again, I can't stress this enough: She's an amazing talent. It was just an unfortunate situation to expose creative differences publicly, and also I'll admit that writers are on edge because of the impending strike, myself included. A perfect storm. https://t.co/hQw6qBseIn
— Steven DeKnight (@stevendeknight) March 15, 2023
Members of the Writers Guild of America may be going on strike [via Variety] as new terms of their contracts with the Alliance of Film and Television Producers are being discussed.
In another tweet , DeNite said: “Let’s get back to work. Try, as always, to be kind to each other, even when we categorically disagree. And yes, there are times when I need to heed my own advice. We’re all emotional work-in-progress. With love to all of you.”
Back to work. Try, as always, to be kind to each other even when we vehemently disagree. And yes, there are times that I need to heed my own advice. We are all emotional works-in-progress. Love to all of you.
— Steven DeKnight (@stevendeknight) March 15, 2023
Last week, Ortega said she had turned down the role of Wednesday “a couple” times because she had “done so much TV in her life” and “all I ever wanted to do was act.”
