Jenna Ortega is once again addressing the bizarre rumors that linked her romantically to Johnny Depp – claims she has repeatedly insisted are entirely fabricated.
The speculation first circulated last year after celebrity gossip account Deuxmoi suggested the pair had been spotted together, possibly connected to Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice sequel.
At the time, Ortega shut the rumors down immediately, calling them “ridiculous” and “lies”, stressing that she had never even met Depp.
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor himself also publicly dismissed the story and confirmed he had no involvement in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, ending the theory, at least for a while.
Jenna Ortega Says Even Co-Stars Started Asking About the Rumor
In a new interview with BuzzFeed, Ortega revealed that the gossip grew so large that even respected actors were asking her about it on set.
According to Ortega, while filming the upcoming A24 movie Death of a Unicorn, actor Richard E. Grant approached her directly. “He came up to me and he just said, ‘Oh, so you and Johnny?’” she recalled. “And I laughed because I… I don’t know that person.”
Ortega said she was stunned by how quickly the false story spread, and how confidently some outlets reported details she had never said. “It’s so insane to me. I never spoke on that. I never said anything like that. Articles really do just make up their own quotes,” she said, adding that the entire situation became surreal.
Ortega Previously Called the Rumors “Lies” and Asked People to Stop
When the rumors first appeared last year, Ortega issued a firm message on Instagram: “This is so ridiculous I can’t even laugh. I have never met or worked with Johnny Depp in my life. Please stop spreading lies and leave us alone.”
Despite her quick response, speculation continued on social media, especially after Deuxmoi’s posts linked the gossip to Tim Burton’s ongoing projects.
Depp’s team later clarified that he was not working with Ortega, and he would not appear in the new Beetlejuice film, sealing the matter even further.
Ortega Also Reveals She Secretly Auditioned for Dune at Age 15
During the same BuzzFeed interview, Ortega opened up about a surprising moment in her early career: she auditioned for the role of Chani in Dune when she was just 15.
Tim Burton pictured with Jenna Ortega at a Wednesday'premiere. Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage/Getty Images.
The part eventually went to Zendaya, but Ortega said she kept the audition quiet for years.
Ortega in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Following her breakout role in Wednesday, fans saw Ortega reunite with director Tim Burton in the long-awaited Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which hit theaters last year. She starred as Astrid Deetz, the rebellious daughter of Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz, as the family returns to Winter River after the death of Charles Deetz.
Ortega said the shoot was joyful and that working with Burton again felt natural.
“He seemed a lot more playful on Beetlejuice. I think it actually helped our relationship a lot… it was just a very joyous, happy shoot,” she said.