‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Jenna Ortega Is Unbothered by the Burden of Burton

The Big Picture

• Collider’s Perri Nemiroff talks with
  Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
  costars Jenna Ortega and Catherine O’Hara ahead of the Tim Burton sequel.
• Ortega and O’Hara discuss their bond on-screen and the family dynamic, as well as scenes that changed during production for the better.
• Ortega also shares the difference between the viral
  Wednesday
  dance and the dance in
  Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
  , and discusses her experience sharing the Tim Burton legacy with new generations.

As a gateway horror for kids, Beetlejuice (1998) served as a perfect family-friendly movie night because, really, at its core, the heart of the story was all about the Deetz family reconnecting. Sure, it took Michael Keaton as a deranged bio-exorcist for Lydia (Winona Ryder) and her stepmother, Delia (Catherine O’Hara), to put aside their differences, but they got there. Now, in Tim Burton‘s long-awaited sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a new generation is introduced to the madness by Wednesday star Jenna Ortega.

Burton is a beloved filmmaker, so stepping into not one but two major roles would be a huge responsibility for anyone. In this sequel, Ortega plays Astrid, the daughter of Lydia and the granddaughter of Delia Deetz. When the family returns to their old stomping grounds after a death in the family, the portal of the Afterlife is accidentally opened once again. Talk about generational trauma…

In preparation for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to take over theaters, Collider’s Perri Nemiroff had the opportunity to sit with Ortega and O’Hara to talk about their on-screen chemistry and their undeniable family dynamic. Ortega also discusses the difference between her dance number in the sequel and the viral Wednesday dance, and why she isn’t worried about the pressures of carrying on the Tim Burton legacy. Check out the full conversation in the video above, or you can read the transcript below.

Jenna Ortega and Catherine O’Hara Share a Tight Bond

“There is love there.”

PERRI NEMIROFF: One of my absolute favorite things in our press notes was reading how much you two loved working with each other. Can you each tell me something about the other as a scene partner that you appreciated, perhaps something that helped you reach something in your own character that you wouldn’t have been able to without them?

JENNA ORTEGA: She takes risks. I felt like in every scene, there was something different. You never did the same thing twice.

CATHERINE O’HARA: Same to you, lady.

ORTEGA: She’s unbelievable.

O’HARA: She’s open. You were lovely and open and fun and silly. I’m thinking especially about the dance moves. Then, in the other scenes, I think we just care about Lydia, but we’re both really frustrated by her. We just had these silent moments.

ORTEGA: Almost like a sibling, in a way.

The family dynamic in this movie is spot on. It gives it a big old beating heart that I appreciated.

O’HARA: There is love there.

Without a doubt.

Jenna Ortega Brings Her Viral ‘Wednesday’ Moves to ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’

“Both of them were very messy.”

I’ll follow up on the dance briefly. Jenna, can you compare and contrast preparing for the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice dance versus the Wednesday dance?

ORTEGA: The process for both of them was very messy and very, “Okay, well this feels right.” Except this one was a little bit better because with Wednesday, it was the night before at three in the morning, like, “Oh my god, I told him I would do this dance, and I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Where this one was still that pressure, but, “Oh, Catherine O’Hara’s in this one, Justin [Theroux]’s in this one, Winona [Ryder] is in this. We’re all figuring it out together. She’s got it.” And Tim [Burton] also has such confidence in who he has that he was telling us, “Oh, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

O’HARA: And the choreographer, [Corey Baker], was loose and open.

ORTEGA: Yeah, the choreographer was so sweet. He was super collaborative.

It’s got a good vibe that feels similar enough but also distinct from the first one, which I appreciated.

O’HARA: But in the same spirit.

Catherine O’Hara Is Grateful Tim Burton Changed Up This ‘Beetlejuice 2’ Scene

Catherine, you are utter perfection in this movie. Every single creative swing and comedic beat feels so spot on, and you make it all feel so effortless. Of everything you do in the movie, what made you the most nervous when it came to nailing it?

O’HARA: Jeez, all of it. My first thought is in the cemetery before I take out the snakes. [Laughs] I did play with that speech. I rewrote the speech a bit, just wanting that to work. Because I was by myself. I love working with other people, but I don’t love doing solo things. I don’t know, it’s just too much something. It was scary but fun. Tim was gonna shoot me in a real cemetery out in the dark, and I’m glad he changed and built a lovely little set. It was more fun being on a stage. But yeah, a scene like that. But Delia is so in her own world in this movie; I had nothing to do with the real story going on with the family. [Laughs]

I absolutely loved it.

O’HARA: Isn’t it true? It’s kind of like she’s really got her own little world.

ORTEGA: I think there was some story in the gallery.

O’HARA: Oh, there was.

ORTEGA: There was a throughline.

O’HARA: I helped set it off, but then after that it was like, “Okay, bye.”

Her adventure is very satisfying. And she grows in ways that I didn’t quite expect, but I loved everything that you all did with the character.

Jenna Ortega Is Happy to Introduce Tim Burton to a New Generation

“It’s just such a joy to be able to work with Tim.”

Jenna, this is a very big question for you, but this is something that I keep thinking about. I grew up loving Tim’s movies, but in this industry, it’s important to be able to preserve that nostalgia and access to that world by spreading it to new generations, and between this and Wednesday , you’re kind of shouldering that. What does it mean to you to have the platform to keep Tim’s legacy and his worlds that we all love so much alive for more people?

ORTEGA: There’s definitely pressure that comes with something like that, but I think I’ve learned in the recent year not to bear the weight of that. For me, it’s just such a joy to be able to work with Tim and to be a part of these worlds that I fantasized and dreamed about and try to imagine myself in these scenarios. So, to actually be able to live that out and work with people who I trust and are so brilliant at what they do, as someone who’s an actor, it’s just the greatest experience. I want to focus on that, and take pleasure and work on that.

You’re doing a special thing. I get to talk about these movies with younger generations because they love you so much.

ORTEGA: I feel so lucky to be a part of their journey with these stories. It’s the coolest.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is in US theaters beginning September 6. Check the link below for showtimes:

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