Jenna Ortega shares how 'Man on Fire' changed "entire course" of her existence
Aug 08, 2024
Washington [US], August 8 : Jenna Ortega revealed the name of the Denzel Washington film that inspired her to start her acting career and changed the "entire course" of her existence, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Emmy-nominated actress, who has gone on to star in hit projects including the Scream franchise, series; You, Wednesday and the upcoming movie 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' sequel said it was 'Man on Fire' (2004) that inspired her.
"I'm so appreciative of my six-year-old self who wanted to be a president and an astronaut...because I realize now that I was always looking for a way out," Ortega added.
The Tony Scott-directed thriller, starring Washington and Dakota Fanning, follows former CIA operative John Creasy who sets out on a revenge-fueled rescue mission after 9-year-old Lupita Ramos, a girl he was hired as a bodyguard to protect, gets kidnapped, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Ortega revealed that after seeing Fanning's performance as a youngster, she knew exactly what career route she wanted to pursue, and it led directly to Hollywood.
After her mother uploaded a video of her giving a dramatic monologue on Facebook, which a family friend forwarded to a casting director, her mother eventually drove her to Los Angeles for auditions.
However, it's only recently that Ortega started to accept that her life is forever changed, and will most likely keep changing.
"There's so much about the pressure that is put on this line of work that I do, that it's laughable and it's beautiful and it's awful, sometimes all at once," she added, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.