Jenna Ortega has addressed the rumors that she's dating Johnny Depp, and it seems that she isn't best pleased.
Ortega, 20, has been on our screens for some years now after appearing in things like You and even making a brief appearance in Iron Man 3.
But her role in Wednesday, playing the sinister young daughter of the Addams family, has propelled her into stardom in the recent past.
But with fame often comes rumors that have no real purpose other than to spread misinformation, and Ortega has found herself on the receiving end of a wild rumor.
Ortega has opened up about the rumors that she is dating Depp. Credit: Leon Bennett/GettyThere has been speculation recently that she is dating 60-year-old Johnny Depp, and she has broken her silence on the matter to put all the claims to bed.
Speculations about a romantic connection between Ortega and Depp emerged after a report from the celebrity gossip account Deuxmoi hinted at a possible collaboration on the highly anticipated sequel, Beetlejuice 2, directed by Tim Burton.
The rumor mill went into overdrive as fans and media outlets alike dissected every detail, but Ortega swiftly addressed the speculation head-on via Instagram, calling it "ridiculous" and urging people to stop spreading false information.
"This is so ridiculous I can't even laugh," Ortega stated on her Instagram story, cited by NME. "I have never met or worked with Johnny Depp in my life. Please stop spreading lies and leave us alone."
Depp's representative also issued a statement, categorically denying any connection between the two actors. The statement read: "Mr. Depp has no personal or professional relationship with Ms. Ortega whatsoever."
Depp has also denied any relationship. Credit: Cliff Owen/Consolidated News Pictures/GettyThe statement went on: "He has never met her or spoken to her. He is not involved in any project with her, nor does he intend to be. He is appalled by these baseless and malicious rumors that are intended to harm his reputation and career."
These statements of denial put an end to the swirling gossip surrounding Ortega and Depp, affirming that there's no romantic involvement or professional collaboration on the horizon.
Early this year, Ortega addressed the toxicity of social media in an emotional interview alongside Elle Fanning for Variety.
"When I was younger, they would take us to media training - Disney 101 or something like that - where they would say, 'You're going to post three times a day,'" Ortega explained. "'This is how you build followers, engage, promote our show,' You could go into an audition or meeting, and it was 'How many followers do you have?'"
The conversation inevitably turned to the terrain of social media, where both actresses felt constrained, unable to express their true selves online due to the constant fear of their words or actions being misconstrued.
"It's such a comparing game. It influences bandwagon mentality. It's very manipulative. After the show, I'm really nervous to post or even say anything on there or even be myself," confessed Ortega.
Ortega has previously opened up about the dangers of social media. Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty"Because I naturally tend to be sarcastic or dry, it's very easy for me to find myself in trouble. I want people to be able to get to know the people behind the camera and realize that people should never be put on a pedestal. And the more I've been exposed to the world, people prey on that and take advantage of that," the Scream actress added.
"They see your vulnerability and twist it in a way that you don't always expect. It's so strange. Sorry, I didn't mean to do this," she continued, holding back tears.
It's a shame that Ortega's fears were realized and social media spread malicious rumors about herself and Depp, but hopefully, they can cease now that they have been categorically denied.
