Jenna Ortega’s sister weighed in after fans began to express concerns about the actress’ weight loss.
After a recent Esquire interview went viral, a social media user shared a lengthy message defending Ortega, 23, and reminding others to “mind [their] business.” The actress’ sister Aliyah Ortega subtly showed her support for the person’s opinion, adding three exclamation points in the comments section.
The social media post further claimed that fans online have been making “assumptions about [Jenna’s] health.”
“She has every right to make whatever decisions she feels are best for herself without being judged, discriminated against or subjected to unnecessary speculation,” the caption continued. “Sometimes the most respectful thing we can do is simply give someone privacy, support them, and let them be.”
The post also noted: “We don’t know what she may be going through, and we shouldn’t assume anything based on appearances or a few comments from an interview. Stop concerning yourselves with her personal life and asking intrusive, unnecessary, and random questions. … Just leave Jenna alone and allow her to live her life on her own terms.”
In her interview with Esquire, published Tuesday, August, 11, Jenna recalled the challenges of being on set as a child actor.
“I really had it going for me as a child because I can’t think of one mistake I made. Is that a terrible thing to say?” she said. “I feel like I make mistakes now all the time, but as a child, I was so grateful and so excited to be there that my game face was on.”
Jenna explained how that affected her health, adding, “I wasn’t asking for a sip of water. I would go all day without eating, drinking, whatever, because I wanted so badly to not be in the way of anybody. Maybe that was my mistake [of] not actually looking after myself.”
Photos and video accompanying the profile also showed off Jenna’s thin physique.
After rising to fame with roles on Disney and as the lead in Netflix’s Wednesday, Jenna has called out the potential dangers of child stardom.
“Children aren’t supposed to be working like that. They are supposed to be climbing trees and drawing and going to school,” she told The New York Times in August 2024. “Some of those kids’ parents don’t even take school seriously, so I feel really, really fortunate to have had parents who made sure that I hung out with friends, made sure that I went to public school and wouldn’t allow me to work on a job unless I had straight A’s and was prioritizing my sleep and my schoolwork.”
She continued: “Child acting is strange. I see why my parents felt so hesitant about it, because you’re putting a child in an adult workplace. I think if I had just stayed growing up in Coachella Valley, I would be a completely different person. I wouldn’t speak the way that I do or approach interactions the way that I do.”
If you or someone you know struggles with an eating disorder, visit the National Alliance for Eating Disorders website or call their hotline at (866) 662-1235. Text “ALLIANCE” to 741741 for free, 24/7 support.
