Jenna Ortega
| Photo Credit: CHARLES SYKES
Jenna Ortega recently revealed that she might have auditioned for a role in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation when she was just 15 years old. In a Buzzfeed interview, the 21-year-old actress shared her excitement about the possibility of working with Villeneuve, one of her favorite directors, during the early stages of the project.
“I think I auditioned for Dune when I was about 15,” Ortega said when asked about a surprising role she auditioned for. She added, “I think it was Chani. I think it was Zendaya’s. But they weren’t saying that. Everything was very secret.”
Zendaya was officially cast as Chani in January 2019, indicating that Ortega might have auditioned for the role a few months prior. Zendaya, who is six years older than Ortega, stars alongside Timothée Chalamet in the Dune series as Chani, the love interest of the protagonist, Paul Atreides.
Despite missing out on the Dune role, Ortega has continued to build an impressive career. She is currently promoting her latest film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, directed by Tim Burton, in which she plays Astrid, the daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder). The film marks a reunion for Ortega and Burton, who previously collaborated on Netflix’s hit series Wednesday. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to hit theaters on September 6.
