Jenna Ortega Opens Up About Her Role in A24’s New Horror Film ‘X’

Jenna Ortega put her foot on the gas and hasn’t slowed down. We’re only three months into 2022, and the actress has already starred in Scream—one of the biggest movies of the year so far—is set to star as Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton’s upcoming show Wednesday, and is now gearing up for the upcoming release of A24’s X on March 18. The slasher flick follows a group of young filmmakers in the late 1970s who travel to rural Texas to make an adult film. They stay at an old guesthouse in the middle of nowhere and when their elderly hosts catch them in the act, their stay quickly turns dark. At face value, X might appear to be just another horror film, but it’s so much more than that. 

As it goes for most A24 films, X is so aesthetically pleasing and the two storylines simultaneously happening within the film keep you locked in. There’s a message about the power and influence sex workers have that weaves into the gorier, bloodier storyline about the group’s creepy hosts. Even the most gruesome scenes are uniquely done. While other slasher films make you wince and look away, X’s cinematography is so stunning that it forces you to keep your eyes glued to the screen so you don’t miss a second of it. The film is directed by Ti West, who is best known for his work in horror films, including The Innkeepers, The Roost, and The House of the Devil, and working with the director was a significant motivator for Ortega to take on the role, as well as X being “the most outrageous script” she has ever read.