Jenna Ortega, the star of Netflix's Wednesday, said she expects to step back from television series once the show concludes, telling an interview and a podcast that she wants to make room for new work. The comments, reported across entertainment outlets on October 23 and 24, 2026, come weeks after production wrapped on the show's third season.
What did Ortega say about leaving TV?
On Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, the 24-year-old said she had not had many franchise conversations and that what she is meant to do will find her. "I think after Wednesday, I'll probably be off the TV for a while," she said, according to the Daily Mail and Us Weekly. She explained that she spent years moving between shows as a child and wants to leave time for new things. In a Vogue interview reported by the Times of India and Telegraph India, she also said she does not check reviews or worry about box office numbers, saying that would turn her work into a numbers game.
How big is the show she is leaving?
Wednesday has been a major property for Netflix since its first season arrived in November 2022. According to the platform's Tudum Top 10 rankings, that season became Netflix's most popular English-language series ever, with more than 252 million views. The second season, released in 2025, reached No. 1 in 91 countries. The series follows Wednesday Addams at Nevermore Academy and also features Gwendoline Christie, Christina Ricci, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman and Isaac Ordonez. The third season, which wrapped September 30, follows Wednesday into her senior year; no release date has been announced.
Why step back now?
Ortega's credits stretch back to a 2012 debut on the CBS sitcom Rob, followed by roles including Jane the Virgin and Disney's Stuck in the Middle. She has spoken before about the pressure of child acting, telling Esquire she would go all day without eating or drinking on set because she did not want to be in anyone's way. She has also said she has tried to distance herself from social media, describing much of what appears there as AI-generated content.
What happens next?
There is no word on whether Netflix will renew Wednesday beyond a third season, and Ortega has not announced specific film projects. Her remarks suggest a shift toward film offers rather than a retreat from acting, with the timing of any move tied to the show's future.
FAQ
Is Wednesday ending after season 3?
Netflix has not said whether the series will continue past the third season, which has no announced release date. Ortega's comments describe a break after the show, not a confirmed finale.
Has Ortega quit acting?
No. She said she expects to be off television for a while and wants to explore film work, not that she is leaving acting altogether.
