Jenna Ortega Shares Mom's 2010 Facebook Video That Launched Her Career: 'The Rest Is History' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Jenna Ortega’s story as a child actress is a special one.

In the NBC News Studios documentary seriesMy Generation, Ortega — who serves as the narrator for the final episode, exploring all things Generation Z — shares how she got her start.

A 7-year-old Jenna can be seen introducing herself at the beginning of the clip, then going into performing a dramatic monologue.

“My mom shot this video and put it on Facebook for her friends, and they loved it. Somehow, it eventually made its way to a casting agent, and the rest is history,” she says. “Like many Gen Zers, you can say my career was also launched online.”

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Jenna Ortega poses with mom Natalie in June 2016 while promoting Disney’s “Stuck in the Middle”.Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Ortega shot to stardom as a Disney child actress, later landing roles onJane the VirginandStuck in the Middle.

Despite fame coming at a young age, Ortega told PEOPLE in 2017 that her family — mom Natalie, dad Edward, and siblings Isaac, Mariah, Mia, Aliyah and Markus — “keep my feet on the ground.”

Ortega added that her clan doesn’t allow her to shirk her household responsibilities. “I get home from the set and they do not forget to tell me that there are dishes in the sink waiting for me,” she added.

The unique experience Gen Z has of growing up online and potentially turning a viral moment into a career opens exciting possibilities for burgeoning stars, the documentary explains.

“Before there were gatekeepers who sort of decided who the next superstars were. What’s really exciting about Generation Z is that they really have the power,” says Arleta Fowler, an agent with Creative Artists Agency.

Alex Ma, co-founder of Poparazzi, agrees. “Anybody can now become an entertainer from their living room. You kind of let the people decide, so it’s almost like democratized television.”

The final episode of the NBC News Studios production,My Generation, airs on MSNBC on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 9 p.m. ET

source: people.com