Jenna Ortega speaks on breaking out of her typical roles plus Kid Cudi touches on having auditioned for Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” movie on “Big Bro with Kid Cudi”
We share this week’s episode of “Big Bro with Kid Cudi”, a Wave Original, hosted by GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-platinum artist, producer, actor, director, and New York Times Best-Selling author Kid Cudi.
As ‘Big Bro Scott’, Cudi sits down with collaborators, friends, stars-on-the-rise, and living legends to share the sparks, shifts, and stories that shaped them.
Free of negativity and noise, the weekly series offers honest conversation and the rare perspective only a trusted ‘Big Bro’ can provide.
This week’s episode features Jenna Ortega, who joins Scott to talk about her evolution from being a child actor, the pressure she felt early on to say yes to every role and prioritizing what the next chapter of her career will look like.
Scott also reveals having auditioned for “Get Out” and losing out on the role to Daniel Kaluuya.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Jenna on Being Told To Say Yes To Every Role In Her Early Days
Jenna: “I was told from a very early age you have to say yes to everything. You have to do everything. You have to kind of build this resume and show that you’re trustworthy and you never know when it’s going to stop and once the job stopped coming in… to keep them going is difficult . I feel really fortunate to be in a position in my career right now… where, you know, maybe I could start being a bit more decisive . I’m known for playing this teenager on Netflix… so it’s been like, okay, how do you keep a movie career going outside of that? And that’s kind of my priority.”
Jenna on Auditioning for “Hereditary” at Age 12
Jenna: “I think I auditioned for ‘Hereditary’ which obviously wouldn’t have made any sense for especially like my disposition as a kid . They gave us barely any sides. It was like two pages of just ominous words that as a 12-year-old kind of went over the head . But I remember seeing it… and thinking, I feel like this is an important movie. And then it was . It’s funny to think that I went in for that because again, I just didn’t make any sense for it.”
Kid Cudi Reveals He Auditioned for “Get Out” and Felt Bitter After Losing the Role
Cudi: “I auditioned for ‘Get Out’ and… I read the script and I knew it was about to go. So I really wanted it and I did the audition in front of Jordan [Peele] and he was showing me so much love… And when I didn’t get it, I was so bitter . But then I finally saw the movie and I was like, you know, Daniel was the best option. I get it. When a role is for you, it’s for you . He killed it. Daniel [Kaluuya] was a master at his craft .”
Jenna on Writing Letters to Barack Obama and Oprah at Age 6
Jenna: “When I was six, I was really into politics and Obama got inaugurated that year. So I would write him letters, hey, love your work. Can I come to the White House? Pretty much. And he never responded . I used to think it was like a crush of some sorts, but I just wanted his job. Like I wanted to go to the White House to get an understanding of okay, the Oval Office is going to be my space . And then I started writing Oprah because I saw a photo of them together in a magazine and I was like, ‘Hey Oprah, I know you know Obama… plug me’.”
Jenna on Leading a Set as “Number One” on the Call Sheet
Jenna: “I’ve been number 20 on the call sheet and I’ve been number one on the call sheet. And I think also there’s a different responsibility when you’re the lead . You really do have to look after people and make sure people can come to you with questions… A lot of the times you’re on a job and, you know, if it’s serious subject matter… you just want it to, it should be, it should feel easy. Let’s keep it light when we can .
Jenna On Wanting to Become a Carpenter
Jenna: “I want to become actually skilled in one thing for sure. Something tactile, something like I would love to become a carpenter and be a really good carpenter. Like I want to make the best furniture I want. You need something everybody’s getting wooden gifts. Everybody’s getting, you know, it’s comfortable. It’s personable. I’m working with my hands. It’s like proof that like, hey, I’m good at this. That I would love to do.”
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