After Being Called A “Fake Latina” For Not Speaking Spanish, Jenna Ortega Has Opened Up About The “Shame” Of Not Feeling Like A “Good Enough” Representative For Her Community

In case you missed it, in a 12-second clip from a fashion show in Paris, Anya Taylor-Joy could be seen introducing her husband, Malcolm McRae, to Spanish singer Rosalía and actor Jenna in Spanish. 

Anya was born in Miami, but her father is Argentine, and she spent her childhood in Buenos Aires, so she is fluent in the native language.

On the other hand, Jenna was born and raised in California and does not speak Spanish. When she responded to Anya’s introduction by greeting Malcolm in English, she found herself at the mercy of internet users who argued that she was a “fake Latina.”

Despite all of this, Jenna acknowledged: “Because I wasn’t born in a Spanish-speaking country, I know people have a hard time connecting with me.”

Jenna’s father also doesn’t speak Spanish fluently, but it is her mom’s first language, and Jenna admitted that she is “so jealous” every time she hears her speak it.

Jenna went on to express her desire to be more “in touch” with her roots by learning from her extended family who emigrated to the United States. 

Perhaps highlighting the reason why Jenna wasn’t ever taught how to speak Spanish, it is noted that her relatives were told not to speak their native language as American schoolchildren so as not to stand out.

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar last year, Jenna revealed that she almost dyed her hair blonde in her bid to secure more work.

“As a child actor, there are two jobs that you can get: You’re either the younger version of someone or you’re playing somebody’s daughter. And there were just not many leading Hispanic actors who I could be that for,” she explained at the time. “A lot of the jobs that I was going for growing up would never work out, because I didn’t look a certain way.”

“That was really hard, to hear that something you couldn’t change was what was preventing you [from succeeding],” Jenna went on. “I wanted to dye my hair blonde so that I would look like Cinderella.”

However, she also pointed out that any representation is still valid, saying: “I want all people of Latin descent to be able to see themselves onscreen. I want to feel that I could open doors for other people.”

Netflix actively sought out a Latinx actor to take on the role, and while some have questioned why this was by arguing that Wednesday’s heritage doesn’t seem to be an integral part of the show, Jenna admitted to Vanity Fair that she likes the fact that it is “not being shoved down your throat.”

“There’s nothing worse than when they have the side Mexican character who’s carrying the flag on their shoulder,” she explained before pointing out: “We’re so much more than that.”