Jenna Ortega: Who are Jenna Ortega's parents? Mother responds to viral smoking pictures, leaving netizens shocked

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega's mother, Natalie Ortega, responded to Jenna’s viral smoking pictures on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, via a series of Instagram stories. The video of the young actress smoking a cigarette while out with fellow actress Gideon Adlon went viral across social media on May 24.

The 20-year-old icon was born to Edward and Natalie Ortega. Her mother, Natalie, who is half Puerto Rican and half Mexican, works as an emergency nurse, while her father, Edward, who is a Mexican American, is a businessman.

Jenna’s mother is quite active on social media as she frequently shares photos of her children and grandchild on her Instagram feed. She also posts about Jenna’s achievements or her photoshoots and red-carpet appearances.

Both Edward and Natalie encouraged their daughter's talent for acting from a very tender age. They supported her in stepping foot into the entertainment industry as well as accompanying her to auditions.

Coming back to the Wednesday actress' mother's reply to Jenna's viral smoking pictures, Natalie's responded a week later with 13 Instagram stories, leaving netizens shocked. They said that Mamma Ortega called Jenna out in the most "mom way" possible like any mother would do to warn their children about the harms of smoking.

Natalie Ortega shared 13 stories on how smoking can be injurious to health

Suddenly a week after the actor's viral smoking video left the internet divided, her mother indirectly responded to it on Instagram. While some fans raised concerns for Jenna’s health after the video came out, others went gaga over how hot the young actor looked.

However, Natalie Ortega responded in her own “mom” way. The first Instagram story was a meme showing a flabbergasted Gollum from The Lord Of The Rings, with the subtext:

“Don’t believe those lies about cigarettes being bad for you. I’ve been smoking for most my 21 years and I feel great!”

Natalie Ortega's response to Jenna Ortega's viral smoking video. (Image via Instagram/@natalieortega1)

Next, she posted various slides highlighting diseases and negative health effects that smoking can cause, such as lung cancer, oral cancer, brittle bones, damaged teeth, and gums, cataracts, and even neurological disorders. One of the slides also talked about how quitting cigarettes can help one get rid of the toxic stench from one’s clothes, hair, and breath.

Aside from these health-related posts, Natalie shared also shared a few moving quotes. One of them advised everyone that no matter who they are or how big they become, they should always surround themselves with people who would tell them the truth. Lastly, she shared a quote about motherhood that read:

“A mother is always a mother. She never stops worrying about her children, even when they are all grown up and have children of their own.”

"THE SHADE": Netizens reacted to Jenna Ortega's mother's response

Jenna Ortega’s fans and other people, in general, were quite surprised to see Natalie’s Instagram stories about smoking and they immediately knew, it was directed towards her own daughter. One Twitter user @dilfhive shared a video that compiled the Instagram stories in short.

While many said that Jenna's mother called her out, others argued that it was just a mother being concerned about her daughter. Some said that maybe it was Natalie Ortega's message of caution to other young people out there who are Jenna's fans and might look up to her.

Although most people did not take offense at Natalie's Instagram stories or find any malice in her approach, some argued that Jenna Ortega's mother could have simply called her to talk to her regarding the matter instead of posting it for everyone to see. As of yet, the Wednesday Addams actress has not yet addressed the viral video or her mother's response.

In other news, after the massive success of Netflix's Wednesday, Jenna Ortega is set to star in Tim Burton’s sequel of Beetlejuice, where she will play the role of Lydia Deetz, aka Winona Ryder’s daughter.

About the author

Amrita is a trends writer at SK POP. She completed her post-graduation in English Language and Literature and has a rich writing experience in covering diverse topics such as blockchain technology, product reviews, travel guides, subtitles, and pop culture. However, her personal interest has always been in popular culture, which has aided her with injecting fresh insights to her stories.

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Edited by Priya Majumdar