Jenna Ortega reveals the secret to playing the role of “Wednesday”: Only 2 weeks of working… in customer service!
In the film industry, to transform into a character with a special personality, many actors have to go through an extremely serious preparation process: learning martial arts, losing weight, gaining weight, studying the character’s psychology… But for Jenna Ortega – the girl who plays Wednesday Addams in the hit Netflix series Wednesday – the “secret” to playing a dark, emotionless character who has almost lost all faith in life is… surprisingly simple: Working in the Customer Service department for 2 weeks.
This story began when an excerpt of Jenna’s interview went viral on social media. During the conversation, the actress humorously said:
“To truly understand the feeling of having no hope, I tried working in the customer support department. It took me exactly 2 weeks to reach the psychological state of… Wednesday 100%.”
It sounds funny, but anyone who has ever done this job will immediately understand the hidden meaning. Customer service requires employees to constantly listen to complaints, deal with angry or impatient customers, and resolve countless “difficult” situations. Sometimes, that stress can make a cheerful, optimistic person gradually “lose their smile” after only a few shifts.
Many netizens immediately “nodded” in sympathy. One account commented:
“I also used to work at a customer support hotline. After just one week, I started to see life through the eyes of… Wednesday.”
Another humorously added:
“Jenna doesn’t need advanced acting training. Just put her in a call center during rush hour.”
Interestingly, Jenna Ortega’s quote both shows her wit and reflects a little-known fact: real-life work and experience can sometimes help actors get into character faster than any course. For Wednesday – a character who is cold, dry and not very interested in fun – “tasting” the pressure of customer service seems to be a perfect simulation.
Jenna Ortega is already famous for her ability to express subtle emotions through her eyes and small gestures. However, to portray a true Wednesday, she needs a special mental state: no smile, no excitement, and a look as if she has “seen all the bad things in this world”. And “2 weeks of customer service” seems to be the most effective training method.
The story quickly became a viral topic on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram. Thousands of parodies, memes, and humorous posts have been created, with many even joking that they are “practicing Wednesday” every day while working in the service industry.
Even though it was just a joke, Jenna Ortega accidentally touched on a common concern: the exhaustion and pressure of customer service workers. And who knows, if Netflix produces a next season of Wednesday, Jenna will be honored by call center agents as their “spiritual ambassador.”
