Is Jenna Ortega the new Winona Ryder? As actress stars in Sabrina Carpenter’s horror themed music video, how she’s become the ultime Gen Z scream queen and a muse for Tim Burton

Jenna Ortega may be just 21 years old, but a lengthy career in Hollywood is already carved out for her and there’s one genre that keeps calling her back, horror.

She became a global success thanks to portraying Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton’s Netflix series based on the American Cartoon which has since been recreated for TV and film multiple times.

With her unmoveable fringe and Medusa-like stare, she has quickly made goth cool again for the masses – something that hasn’t been seen since Winona Ryder hit the screens in the 1988 film, Beetlejuice.

Winona first appeared as a Scream Queen when she was just 17 years old in the hit Tim Burton film, while Jenna made her mark at the age of 20 working with the same director.

But it seems Jenna is on her way to becoming this generations Screen Queen – a term used for prominent actresses across the genre, who react to their frightening situations with an onslaught of shrieking.

However, the horror movie depiction of a ‘Scream Queen’ has been tweaked by the likes of Jenna as someone less likely to shriek and more likely to get revenge.

The path was clearly paved for her by Winona Ryder and the pair have been brought together for the ultimate spooky film of the decade thanks to Tim Burton’s new film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, coming to cinemas in September.

It’s no coincidence the gothic director has combined them as he charges the way for a new Scream Queen to dominate his projects, here FEMAIL looks at why Jenna Ortega is the new Winona Ryder.

Jenna Ortega may be just 21 years old, but a lengthy career in Hollywood is already carved out for her and there’s one genre that keeps calling her back, horror.

Jenna with Micheal Keaton at the premiere of BeetleJuice BeetleJuice.

While Jenna may have only just reached global stardom, she had already carved out endless acting roles, just like Winona.

Winona, now 52, first stared in the rom-com Lucas in 1986, but only became a global success after Beetlejuice was released the year after.

Winona, who was just 17, when she starred in the blockbuster hit revealed she owed her future success all to Tim Burton.

‘I’ve known Tim Burton for 25 years, and I credit him with my career. I really mean that,’ she told Flicks and Bits.

Just two years later, Winona started in yet another Burton film, Edward Scissorhands alongside Johnny Depp and Frankenweenie and the new Beetlejuice film.

Once Winona had solidified herself as a Scream Queen she also went on to work with other directors in spooky films such as Girl Interrupted, Haunted Mansion, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Lost Souls.

Sabrina and Jenna are pictured in the new music video for Taste.

Winona first appeared as a Scream Queen when she was just 17 years old in the hit Tim Burton film, while Jenna made her mark at the age of 20 working with the same director. She is pictured in Sabrina’s new video.

Now, Jenna has solidified herself as a Scream Queen, she’s entering new territory as she stars in Sabrina Carpenter’s latest music video from her new album Short n’ Sweet, Taste (pictured).

Jenna’s first major role was when she was just 12 years old and portrayed a young Jane in the hit comedy-drama series Jane the Virgin.

She then went on to have a lead role in the Disney Channel Series stuck in the Middle, where she won an Imagen Award for her talent.

But it seems her love for horror and crime started out young, even at the age of 11 she was acting in Insidious: Chapter 2 and TV miniseries Deadtime stories – where a babysitter tells scary stories to the children.

Wednesday’s major success made it the most popular English-language Netflix show of all time, receiving over 252 million views in the first three months of it being on the platform.

Following on from the creepy TV show, Jenna, who was then 20, also became the lead role in the hit film series Scream as Tara Carpenter and now as Winona’s daughter in the new Beetlejuice film.

Now, Jenna has solidified herself as a Scream Queen, she’s entering new territory as she stars in Sabrina Carpenter’s latest music video from her new album Short n’ Sweet, Taste.

Wednesday’s major success made it the most popular English-language Netflix show of all time, receiving over 252 million views in the first three months of it being on the platform.

Jenna also appeared in Scream 5 – recreating an iconic scene.

Naturally the only way to get Jenna in the new music video was to pay homage to 1960s thriller film Psycho – with Sabrina pulling a large knife out from her array of weapons and heading to the shower where Jenna and a man are sharing a romantic shower.

Carpenter then pushes the shower curtain to the side before wielding the knife on the couple as Jenna’s eyes grow big with fear – capturing the essence of the cult-classic movie.

The new music video also pays tribute to the 1990s film Death Becomes Her with both women trying to gain the affections of the guy and trying to kill one another.

The king of spooky and obscure knows a good gothic muse when he sees one, so it’s no surprise he put Winona and Jenna together in this year’s must-see Halloween film.

Speaking of Jenna, Tim said: ‘She’s a very special talent. And she’s done a lot of horror movies, which I love too. That gave her a special place in my heart. ‘Oh, you’re doing another horror.’.

Not only do the pair have the same chiselled facial features that would make you think twice about approaching them, they both have the deep brown sunken eyes that gives the impression they’ve never slept in their lives and aren’t safe to approach (perfect for a Tim burton vison.).

Jenna often shows of gothic inspired looks on Instagram, pictured in Wednesday.

While Winona is in the new film along with much of the old cast, it seems she hasn’t had a spot with Tim since voice acting in the 2012 Frankenweenie film.

Jenna on the other hand went from staring in Wednesday to Beetlejuice in just two years – making her the next protégé.

‘I went and met him again and when I went to, you know, open up my journal and present these ideas, he just placed the script of Beetlejuice in my journal.

And he didn’t tell anyone,’ she shared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. ‘He just said, ‘Oh, OK. There’s no pressure, Jenna.

I think there’s a part for you. But again, if you don’t want to do it, like, don’t.’ I just said, ‘OK, thanks Tim.”.

After reading the script for an hour, the actress immediately called her agent to say she’d be unavailable for a few months as she wanted to work on the role.

Not only are the two’s career paths almost identical, but their style is also similar.

In the dark fantasy comedy-horror from 1988, Winona was only 15 years old as she played Lydia Deetz, while Michael, in the titular role, was 36.

Now Lydia Deetz (Winona) is a mother to teenage daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) – who brings Beetlejuice back despite her mom’s warnings.

Beetlejuice fans are horrified that some viewers are ‘shipping’ Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder’s characters in the upcoming sequel (pictured) – despite original film portraying a decades-old ghost forcing a teenage girl to marry him.

Winona was famous for her spikey fringe when first working with Tim and the same goes for Jenna who went for a more modern blunt cut.

Both women tend to stick to more natural makeup looks – accentuating their round eyes and pouty lips and adding little colour to the face to get that ‘pale goth’ look Burton so loves.

The pair seemingly prefer to stay away from colour when it comes to their wardrobe opting for chic black pieces or neutral tones – adding depth with fabric, patterns and fittings.

Recently, Jenna’s outfit while doing press for the new film showed her take on Winona’s Beetlejuice outfit with a modern twist.

She matched the plaid maxi skirt with a black cardigan with gold embellishment and a cropped t-shirt.

The actress then topped her look off with strappy heels, dark sunglasses and a brown purse in the shape of a book that read, ‘Handbag for the recently deceased,’ referencing the guidebook that was seen in Beetlejuice for new spirits in the afterlife.

Beetlejuice fans are horrified by people ‘shipping’ Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder’s characters in the sequel now that their relationship is ‘legal’…

As 80s scream queen was only 15 years old when she filmed the original flick .

Beetlejuice fans are horrified that some viewers are ‘shipping’ Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder’s characters in the upcoming sequel – despite original film portraying a decades-old ghost forcing a teenage girl to marry him.

In the dark fantasy comedy-horror from 1988, Winona was only 15 years old as she played Lydia Deetz, while Michael, in the titular role, was 36.

His performance as the undead ‘bio-exorcist’ with a penchant for unleashing chaos on the living became a cult classic.

And now that the duo are reprising their iconic parts in a long-awaited sequel – Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice – which is out September 6, many have expressed their discomfort at people delighting in a potential romantic dynamic between the duo now that it ‘can be considered legal’.

Winona and Michael, now 52 and 72 respectively, are reuniting in upcoming film – along with Catherine O’Hara who plays Lydia’s mother, Delia.

Beetlejuice fans are horrified that some viewers are ‘shipping’ Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder’s characters in the upcoming sequel (pictured) – despite original film portraying a decades-old ghost forcing a teenage girl to marry him.

A new addition to the cast features Jenna Ortega and Lydia’s teenage daughter Astrid.

While it is never clearly stated how old Lydia and Betelgeuse were in the original film, many have assumed that Winona’s character is a schoolgirl while Michael’s is an older, grown man.

Perhaps bizarrely, it has become a popular ‘ship’ online, meaning people often create fan-art and write fanfiction pairing them together romantically.

On X, with the release of the trailer, many have even claimed they’d be ‘so happy’ if the sequel explored a romance between them.

However, a lot of fans have hit back at the suggestion, slamming the dynamic as inappropriate.

‘Why am I seeing Beetlejuice x Lydia ship edits,’ one wrote. ‘And all the comments are like “he waited for her, I hope they make it work in the sequel”.

‘She was 15 in the first film and and he tried to marry her what the f**k are you talking about.’.

‘Beetlejuice is a grown man Lydia is 16 years old,’ another added.

In the dark fantasy comedy-horror from 1988, Winona was only 15 years old as she played Lydia Deetz, while Michael, in the titular role, was 36.

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On X, with the release of the trailer, many have even claimed they’d be ‘so happy’ if the sequel explored a romance between them

In the sequel, years have passed since the events of the original film, and now Lydia is a mother to a teenage daughter Astrid.

Lydia assumed she would never hear from the mischievous entity ever again – until her daughter comes across an advertisement for a ‘Bio Exorcist’ in their attack.

It is Astrid who ends up bringing Beetlejuice back by saying his name three times despite the stern warnings of her mother.

‘When I was a demon, a trickster demon terrorized our entire family and tried to force me to marry him,’ Lydia warns Astrid.

‘I believed he was gone forever until you found this in the attic,’ she said, referencing the poster.

‘Who’s Beetlejuice?’ Astrid asks her mother.

‘Don’t ever say that name!’ Lydia angrily tells her daughter.

While it is never clearly stated how old Lydia and Betelgeuse were in the original film, many have assumed that Winona’s character is a schoolgirl while Michael’s is an older, grown man.

But after her daughter repeats his name, Lydia begs, ‘No Astrid! I am serious!’.

‘If you say his name three times, he will appear,’ she practically whispers.

Astrid nonchalantly says the demon’s name a third time.

‘Beetlejuice,’ she says, summoning the iconic entity.

Beetlejuice, clad in his iconic black-and-white suit, appears before the duo.

‘The juice is loose,’ he says.

Viewers are then shown snippets of their wild ride into the underworld, where they meet a slew of new faces played by Justin Theroux and Willem Dafoe.

Burton’s real-life girlfriend, Monica Bellucci, also stars as Beetlejuice’s wife.

‘The living, the dead,’ Lydia muses.

‘Can they co-exist? That’s what we’re here to find out.’.

Both Willem and Monica’s characters are searching for Beetlejuice while Justin’s character is terrified of the creature.

‘Where’s Beetlejuice?’ Delores (Monica) hisses as she lifts one man into the air.

‘Where’s Beetlejuice!?’ Wolf Jackson (Willem) demands a Beetlejuice-looking character.

Lydia and Rory (Justin) are dumped into an office where they come face to face with Beetlejuice.

Now Lydia Deetz (Winona) is a mother to teenage daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) – who brings Beetlejuice back despite her mom’s warnings.

In the sequel, years have passed since the events of the original film, and now Lydia is a mother to a teenage daughter Astrid (pictured) .

‘Beetlejuice!?’ Lydia shouts before he screeches at them and magically sews her mouth shut.

Rory cowers in the counter as he insists, ‘You’re a figment of my imagination!’.

‘Really? Is this a figment of your imagination?’ Beetlejuice counters before unleashing a green winged creature from his face, causing Rory to faint.

The sequel comes 36 years after the release of the 1988 original, which starred Michael as the eponymous Betelgeuse, Winona as a teenage Lydia, and Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin as a newly-deceased couple who hire the bio exorcist.

Burton directed the original and has returned to helm the sequel.

A synopsis for the sequel reads: ‘After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River.

Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened.’.

Burton previously told Entertainment Weekly that seeing Michael in character again after all this time was ‘a weird out-of-body experience.’.

‘He just got back into it,’ explained the director. ‘It was kind of scary for somebody who was maybe not that overly interested in doing it.’.

He continued, ‘It was such a beautiful thing for me to see all the cast, but he, sort of like demon possession, just went right back into it.’.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will be released on September 6.