‘I Have His Instincts’: Jenna Ortega Honors Her Late Drag Queen Grandfather Who Performed to Support His Family
Our favorite stars often lose a little humanity with each appearance on the big screen. However, nothing could be further from the truth for Jenna Ortega. In a deeply personal moment shared during her recent cover story with The Cut, the Wednesday star opened up about her late grandfather, revealing how his story continues to shape her life and values.
According to The Cut, Ortega’s maternal grandfather came out later in life and performed in drag at a California club called Daddy Warbucks. He used competition prize money to help provide for his family. “I kind of have the same instincts that he does,” Ortega told the magazine, drawing a connection between her love of performance and the man she never got to meet.
Ortega’s grandfather died of AIDS-related complications before she was born, but his memory remains close to her. In 2017, she appeared on the cover of Art and Understanding, a magazine focused on cultural responses to the AIDS crisis. In a quote shared on her official Facebook page, Ortega addressed him directly: “My mom has always told us how amazing you were. I’m sad we never got to meet you… I feel like I have a bit of you in me.”
Why Jenna Ortega’s grandfather matters to her activism
The revelation about Ortega’s grandfather adds powerful context to her HIV/AIDS advocacy. In 2018, the Latino Commission on AIDS named her their Youth Ambassador when she was just 16. Her ongoing involvement in social causes isn’t performative—it’s foundational.
According to her 2022 interview with People en Español, Ortega’s parents made it clear from the beginning that her career needed to be rooted in purpose. “They wouldn’t let me become an actor unless I use my platform for good,” she said. “And if I didn’t, then I had to stop.”
This expectation shaped Ortega’s sense of responsibility, which she seems to embrace fully. Growing up in a household that constantly discussed social issues, she learned early on how to blend advocacy with her public persona.
A busy year for Jenna Ortega
This year, Ortega is booked and busy. She’s currently filming season 2 of Wednesday, where she now serves as a producer and works closely with Tim Burton on everything from casting to script edits.
She’s also starring in Death of a Unicorn, an A24 black comedy alongside Paul Rudd. The film premiered at SXSW and is already generating buzz for its chaotic tone and genre-defying plot. Later this year, she’ll appear in Hurry Up Tomorrow, a psychological metathriller tied to The Weeknd’s upcoming album, and Klara and the Sun, Taika Waititi’s adaptation of the Kazuo Ishiguro novel.
Ortega told The Cut she’s also been writing scripts and has ambitions to direct and compose music for film. As she put it: “Everything that I’ve learned I’ve learned out of wanting to educate myself on the history of the craft that I was committing my life to.”
