Jenna Ortega, 20-Year-Old Actress, Dismisses ‘Absurd’ Rumors of a Relationship with Johnny Depp, 60: ‘Respect Our Privacy’ –

Jenna Ortega has shut down the ‘ridiculous’ speculation that both she and fellow actor, Johnny Depp, are dating as she recently took to Instagram. 

The Wednesday star, 20, who was seen filming scenes for the anticipated Beetlejuice 2 before the SAG-AFTRA strike, responded to rumors that circulated after the gossip account, DeuxMoi, reported the two were spotted together. 

The site also reported that the pair could possibly be working on Beetlejuice 2 together, per NME. 

However, the actress wasted no time to set the record straight about whether she is in a relationship with the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor, 60.

‘This is so ridiculous I can’t even laugh,’ Ortega wrote on her Instagram Story. ‘I have never met or worked with Johnny Depp in my life. Please stop spreading lies and leave us alone.’

Last year, in June, unconfirmed rumors spread that Depp would be taking on a role in Beetlejuice 2 when he appeared on the cast list on Google searches, leading to fans excitement. 

The speculation arose shortly after his defamation trial ended with ex-wife, Amber Heard, which resulted in the actor being awarded $15million in damages from the Aquaman actress. 

Production for the upcoming sequel officially began a few months earlier on May 10 in London. Winona Ryder reprised her role of Lydia Deetz in the movie, with Jenna portraying her daughter. 

Michael Keaton is also returning to step into the iconic shoes of Beetlejuice once again, with other stars joining the cast, such as Filipe Cates and also Justin Theroux -although his role has yet to be specified. 

In early July, both Ryder and Ortega were seen on set in Hitchin, Hertfordshire to film wedding scenes with Cates also spotted. 

The Stranger Things star notably sported the same spiked black fringe from the original movie as she was seen strolling towards the main set while wearing a puffer jacket to stay warm. 

Later that same month, Jenna was seen in character while riding a bike down a quiet road while filming a scene in the quaint town of East Corinth, Vermont. 

The star donned an edgy ensemble as well as a pair of black lace-up boots as she jumped into her role. The town itself was notably decorated for Halloween for the film, with pumpkins, hay and leaves scattered around. 

However, due to the current SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike, television and film productions in Hollywood have been temporarily shut down. 

In May, Variety reported that the official premiere date of Beetlejuice 2 would be on September 6, 2024 – 36 years after the original Tim Burton film was released back in 1988. 

Jenna is known for taking on the role of Wednesday Addams in the hit Netflix series, Wednesday, with four of the eight episodes being directed by Burton. 

In July, the actress took to her Instagram page to celebrate the show receiving a whopping 12 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (for Ortega), Outstanding Comedy Series, and also Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for Burton. 

‘What wonderful news to hear the Wednesday team has received twelve Emmy nominations,’ Jenna excitedly penned in the caption at the time, alongside a photo of herself in character with co-star, Gwendoline Christie. 

‘I’ve been so fortunate to witness first hand the incredible time/effort being put in by our cast, crew, writers, and directors, and feel so excited to be able to share this with them,’ and further expressed her gratitude for the ‘honor.’ 

The nominations came before Ortega jumped to Instagram to shut down romance rumors with Depp. During a past interview with Elle Fanning for Variety’s Actors On Actors series, she became emotional while discussing social media. 

She admitted that her relationship with Instagram can be ‘ugly’ and expressed that her sense of humor can get herself ‘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,’ she explained. 

‘And the more I’ve been exposed to the world, people prey on that and take advantage of that. They see your vulnerability and twist it in a way that you don’t always expect.’ 

In regards to being authentic on social media and with her followers, the Scream star explained, ‘I don’t want to feel gross. I would rather people see me cry and do whatever than be something I’m not.’ 

Jenna later emotionally added, ‘Social media, what it does to anyone our age, 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.’