Jenna Ortega talks working with The Weeknd: ‘He’s genuinely such a sweetheart’

Jenna Ortega is excited about sharing the screen with The Weeknd for her first major movie role.

Speaking with ET Canada, the 20-year-old actress, who shot to fame with her eerie portrayal of Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series, praised the singer-turned-actor for the upcoming project.

“Well, what I can say about Abel is he’s genuinely such a sweetheart,” she said of the singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye. “I was instantly comfortable. He’s just very respectful and very collaborative.”

On Tuesday, February 28th, 2023, Variety broke the news that Tesfaye will have his first starring role in a feature film that he wrote and is also producing with producing partner Reza Fahim.

“The team on that project is really, really wonderful,” Ortega told ET Canada. “And I think that, you know, sometimes you don’t really know how much you can say, but they’ve all been immensely collaborative and wanting to know my voice and my opinion. And that’s always a really wonderful feeling when you’re stepping onto a set for the first time.”

The picture, which is currently untitled and has been kept shrouded in mystery regarding its plot, genre and the like is being directed by Trey Edward Shults, the filmmaker behind Waves and It Comes at Night.

Apart from Ortega, Barry Keoghan, the Oscar-nominated actor from The Banshees of Inisherin, will also be featured in the movie.