Jenna Ortega: Young People Have Become Isolated in the Age of Social Media

According to Cinemadrame News Agency, “Jenna Ortega,” the actress from the series “Wednesday,” spoke in a recent interview with the BBC about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health.

The 22-year-old actress discussed the theme of community in Tim Burton’s spin-off of “The Addams Family,” which she believes is something that young people nowadays struggle to understand.

She said:
“I didn’t live through the 1970s, but I hear stories about how people used to go to their neighbors’ houses, ride their bikes all over town, and expect to meet someone at a certain time and place. People don’t really talk to each other face to face anymore. They’re connected on social media and find their communities there, and that can be extremely isolating.”

She continued:
“On the other hand, you’re exposed to all these different voices and opinions—more than you’d typically want, or more than humans are supposed to be exposed to. So I think it becomes harder to understand yourself. Young people really struggle to figure out, ‘What makes my voice heard? What gives me purpose, agency, and power in today’s world and society?’”

The “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” actress went on to say that perhaps these issues are what make the “Addams Family” characters so appealing to audiences:
“There’s a lot of comfort in watching people who are truly themselves. These days, it’s very easy to fall into herd mentality, and I think more than ever, it’s important for young people to see this family.”

Two years ago, in an interview with Elle Fanning, Ortega described her relationship with Instagram as “ugly,” and tearfully said she couldn’t be her real self on social media:
“The more I put myself out there, the more people take advantage of it and exploit it. They see your weaknesses and twist them in ways you wouldn’t expect.”

The first part of the second season of “Wednesday” will be released on August 6, 2025.