Jenna Ortega has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide with her portrayal of Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday. The young star, already known for her roles in Scream (2022) and Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, has quickly become one of the most in-demand stars of her generation.
However, Ortega has long since exited one of her fan-favorite roles, leaving her absence felt by fans of the Jurassic franchise. Ortega’s character, Brooklynn, was one of the central figures in Camp Cretaceous, the animated series set in the Jurassic World universe.
However, when Jurassic World: Chaos Theory debuted on Netflix last year, it was revealed that Ortega would not be reprising her role. Instead, Kiersten Kelly took over as Brooklynn, playing a version of the character with a darker, more enigmatic personality.
While this shift surprised viewers, showrunners Scott Kreamer and Aaron Hammersley explained to IGN that Ortega’s “busy schedule” made it “impossible” for her to return.
This departure follows Ortega’s exit from Scream 7, which was attributed to similar scheduling conflicts. While her co-star Melissa Barrera was fired from the project after social media controversy, Ortega’s decision to step away from the franchise was reportedly her own, linked to her packed schedule and commitments to other projects.
It’s clear that Ortega’s rise to stardom has come with a growing list of opportunities, but it also means making tough decisions about where to focus her time and energy.
Related: Jenna Ortega’s Departure from ‘Wednesday’ Coincides with Tim Burton’s Filming Shutdown
As fans eagerly await the third season of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, which is set to premiere on Netflix in April, they’ll have to adjust to a new version of Brooklynn. While Ortega’s absence is notable, it’s clear that Kelly’s portrayal of the character is a significant departure from the more innocent version seen in Camp Cretaceous.
The trailer for the new season has already dropped, and while Ortega won’t be part of it, there’s hope that future Jurassic films beyond the upcoming Scarlett Johansson-led Jurassic World Rebirth may bring some Chaos Theory characters to the big screen.
In the meantime, Wednesday fans can look forward to the highly anticipated second season, which is expected to drop later this year.
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