Jenna Ortega Says Amy Adams Taught Her Something Unexpected About Herself

The pairing of Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams in “Klara and the Sun” gave the “Wednesday” star a chance to work with someone she now describes as both an exceptional actress and an equally impressive person.

Ortega, 24, opened up about Adams while promoting the Taika Waititi-directed film, revealing that one particular feature forced her to focus during their scenes together. The praise arrives as Ortega continues expanding beyond the dark, deadpan role that made her a global star.

Ortega plans to step away from television for a while once “Wednesday” eventually ends so she can make room for different creative opportunities. “Klara and the Sun,” which opened exclusively in theaters Friday, Oct. 23, is based on Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 novel of the same name.

Jenna Ortega Reveals What Made Amy Adams So ‘Intense’ to Work With

Speaking with People, Ortega described Adams as a “light” both personally and professionally. But it was the six-time Oscar nominee’s eyes that especially caught her attention. Ortega said Adams has “some of the most intense eyes” she has ever seen, explaining that acting opposite her forced her to focus, remain attentive and listen closely during their scenes.

Ortega also praised Adams’ “commanding presence” and described her costar as warm, while complimenting her as an actress, friend and mother. “She’s just exceptional,” Ortega said, adding that Adams is someone she believes people should strive to be more like.

In the film, Adams plays Chrissy, the mother of Josie, while Ortega portrays Klara, an Artificial Friend brought into their home. According to Sony Pictures, Klara’s optimism and loyalty gradually affect a family navigating loss and a strained mother-daughter relationship.

Amy Adams’ Admiration for Jenna Ortega Goes Both Ways

Ortega is not the only one leaving the experience with glowing things to say about her costar. During a recent conversation for Vogue, Adams praised Ortega’s willingness to experiment and dig deeper into her work.

She described the younger actress as “so game” and praised the collaborative energy she brought to the set. Adams also called Ortega funny, quick and witty. Their conversation revealed some unexpected similarities between the two stars.

Both grew up in large families. Ortega is one of six children, while Adams is one of seven. Their playful conversation also reflected the easy rapport they developed while working together.

Ortega recalled laughing particularly hard with Adams while the pair were wearing wig caps on set. That relaxed chemistry off camera stood in contrast to the concentration Ortega said Adams’ presence demanded once they began performing.

‘Klara and the Sun’ Let Jenna Ortega Do Something Very Different

Playing Klara required Ortega to move away from some of the mannerisms audiences associate with Wednesday Addams. Ortega told People that Waititi initially compared Klara to a baby or toddler. She consequently drew some of the character’s physical clumsiness from watching her nieces and nephews.

Even small gestures came from unexpected places. Ortega said a friend who walks with her pinkies raised inspired part of Klara’s physicality, although she reversed the gesture and kept the character’s index fingers raised instead.

Behind those unusual movements, Ortega wanted Klara to possess a sharp emotional intelligence. The actress said she was particularly interested in creating a sense of empathy through a character who technically is not human. Ortega later told Vogue that Klara’s curiosity may actually be harder to play than Wednesday’s deadpan personality because Klara is so spontaneous.

Playing Wednesday, by comparison, requires Ortega to tightly control small physical details, including blinking, breathing and visible reactions. The contrast is particularly notable as Ortega continues trying to diversify her work beyond the gothic image associated with “Wednesday.”

In a recent Vogue profile, Ortega discussed her desire not to be boxed into one kind of character or genre. Among her upcoming projects is “Nasty,” a sports drama in which she will play an elite gymnast. She is also preparing to work with filmmaker Leos Carax as she continues seeking roles that allow her to explore different styles of filmmaking.

“Klara and the Sun” puts that goal into practice by asking her to play a character whose innocence, curiosity and openness sit far from Wednesday Addams’ famously guarded personality.

Amy Adams Found Her Own Connection to the Film’s Parenting Story

Adams also appears to have found something familiar in Chrissy’s experience as a mother. While promoting the film, the actress admitted to People that she can sometimes be a “bit of a helicopter parent” with her daughter, Aviana.

As her daughter has grown older, Adams said she has had to learn when to step back rather than constantly trying to protect her. That idea fits naturally into a movie centered partly on a mother and daughter navigating a complicated relationship while Klara attempts to understand the sometimes messy emotions that come with being human.

For Ortega, however, one lesson from the experience seems especially clear. She went into “Klara and the Sun” looking for a new way to approach a character and came away deeply impressed by the actress working across from her, intense eyes included.