Jenna Ortega's recent film, Miller's Girl, released on January 26, 2024, has been the topic of discussion for a while now, primarily, due to the significant age-gap entanglement between its central characters. In the film, Ortega portrays Cairo Sweet, an intelligent and mysterious 18-year-old, who enters into a complicated relationship with her professor, played by Martin Freeman.
Miller's Girl by Jade Halley Bartlett is much more complex than it lets on at first. Beyond the themes of temptation and desire, the film is about grappling with loneliness, searching for inspiration, misinterpreting emotions, and much more. Fans of Jenna Ortega, who have followed her career graph, will agree that Miller's Girl is one of the most mature projects that she has been a part of to date.
Even though Miller's Girl has received mixed reviews from critics, fans have lauded Jenna Ortega's ability to handle a complex character with great depth and finesse. Like Miller's Girl, there are other Jenna Ortega shows and movies that capture her growth as an actor.
X, Scream, and six other Jenna Ortega shows and movies that fans will find as entertaining as Miller's Girl
1) Stuck in the Middle (2016)
Jenna Ortega's earlier projects may not have reached the same level of maturity as Miller's Girl but they still hold significant value for audiences. In her role as Harley Diaz in a Disney Channel show, Ortega left a lasting impression despite her young age.
As Harley Diaz, the middle child among seven children, Ortega's character stands out amidst the chaos of a bustling household. She sets herself apart through her quick wit and creativity. Wholesome and hilarious, this Jenna Ortega show offers wholesome entertainment suitable for the entire family to enjoy together.
2) You season 2 (2019)
Like Miller's Girl, You is also an engaging thriller that will keep fans guessing. Based on Caroline Kepnes' work, it follows the life of Joe Goldberg, portrayed by Penn Badgley, who has a habit of becoming abnormally obsessed with women he falls in love with.
Jenna Ortega appears in the second season of the show, wherein she plays Ellie Alves. Ellie just so happens to be one of Joe's neighbors when he moves to LA looking for a fresh start. The show thrives thanks to its intelligent plot, which intertwines light-hearted elements with dark twists that keep fans coming back for more.
3) The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)
One look at Jenna Ortega's body of work, including Miller's Girl, makes it quite clear that the young actor enjoys experimenting with different genres. In this movie, she plays Phoebe Atwell. A new student, she somehow ends up helping Judah Lewis, who reprises his role as Cole Johnson from The Babysitter (2017), escape a satanic cult once again.
Unlike Miller's Girl, this movie has no serious undertones as such. It is a no-brainer gore fest that is pure entertainment from start to finish.
4) The Fallout (2021)
Miller's Girl is not the first time that Jenna Ortega has been part of a project with a sensitive subject. In this drama film, Ortega portrays Vada Cavell, a character confronted with the aftermath of witnessing a school shooting. She deals with emotional trauma that threatens to disrupt her life.
The well-crafted script addresses important issues that merit discussion, and the performances effectively convey the gravity of these themes.
5) Scream (2022)
Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, this is the second slasher film on this list. Set 25 years after the events in Scream (1996), a new Ghostface starts terrorizing a group of teens. Each of them harbors a connection or another with the original killings.
Jenna Ortega plays Tara Carpenter, a teenager from Woodsboro who is the first victim targeted by the new Ghostface. Fortunately, she manages to survive. Since the plot connects to the first installment, there is plenty of nostalgia but still has enough new twists to keep viewers engaged.
6) X (2022)
This Jenna Ortega movie features an eclectic mix of actors, with each actor bringing something different to the table. Similar to Miller's Girl, there is a sense of mystery in the movie that keeps the viewers invested in the plot.
Set in 1979, it follows a group of cast and crew looking for a place to film a pornographic movie. They end up renting a rural property owned by an elderly couple. When the group gets caught up in the act, things start to spiral. In this movie, violence and horror come together to set a thrilling pace, which is further elevated by the well-written dialogue and layered characters.
7) Wednesday (2022)
Fans of Jenna Ortega have recognized her affinity for complex roles, evident once again in her portrayal of Wednesday Addams. Much like her character in Miller's Girl, Wednesday is mysterious and hard to read. The show, containing eight episodes to date, focuses on Wednesday, who has peculiar likes and dislikes.
When her parents force her to attend a school for monstrous outcasts, she is less than enthusiastic. However, when she stumbles upon a murder mystery, things start looking up. The show combines teen angst with suspenseful twists and plenty of dark humor, which makes it enjoyable to watch.
8) Finestkind (2023)
In this film, the focus is on two half brothers, played by Toby Wallace and Ben Foster, who find themselves involved with a crime syndicate, leading to detrimental consequences in their lives. Jenna Ortega takes on the role of Mabel, a small-time drug dealer.
Like Cairo in Miller's Girl, Jenna's character in this movie is also layered. The simple yet thoughtful plot makes an impression on the audience thanks to the grounded, compelling performances by the lead cast.
Jenna Ortega's impressive career graph is proof that the actor will continue to push the envelope, which is why fans can expect more exciting projects like Miller's Girl in the future as well.