How Beetlejuice 2 Subtly Referenced Jenna Ortega’s $308 Million Horror Movie Role

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

While Beetlejuice Beetlejuice features a lot of nods to classic Tim Burton movies, the sequel also includes a subtle reference to one of star Jenna Ortega’s other major roles. Jenna Ortega has made a name for herself as a horror icon in recent years, beginning with her supporting role in 2020’s The Babysitter: Killer Queen. This was followed by a role in 2022’s Ti West slasher X and a lead role in 2022’s Scream, a reboot of the iconic meta-slasher series. Later that year, Ortega cemented her genre legend status with Tim Burton’s Addams Family spinoff Wednesday.

In 2023, Ortega reprised the role of Scream 2022’s heroine Tara in Scream VI. 2024’s Beetlejuice sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is her first horror movie since that slasher sequel and, like Scream VI, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has proven a huge hit with audiences and critics alike. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s ending leaves the door open to a third installment in Tim Burton’s horror comedy series, and this seems a lot more likely after the movie’s $330 million box office success. Appropriately enough, one Beetlejuice Beetlejuice scene features a hidden nod to one of the star’s most lucrative earlier roles.

Jenna Ortega’s Astrid Makes A Scream Reference In Beetlejuice 2

Astrid References The Iconic Painting That Inspired Scream’s Ghostface

In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Ortega’s Astrid mentions the fact that she dressed up as Edvard Munch’s famous painting “The Scream” in second grade for Halloween. This gag is an indirect nod to her roles in Scream 2022 and Scream VI, since the Scream franchise’s iconic Ghostface costume is based on Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” Munch’s painting provided the visual inspiration for the franchise’s killer, who dons a mask that the original movie reveals is a cheap generic Halloween costume available from “Every five and dime in the state.” Astrid’s choice of costume is fitting, given Ortega’s history with the franchise.

Ortega has already starred in enough iconic screen roles for Burton’s sequel to feature various Easter eggs referencing her onscreen oeuvre.

Although Ortega didn’t play Ghostface in either of the Scream movies she starred in, she is still a suspect in both slasher movies. Later, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice references Ortega’s Wednesday role with a nod to her viral dance scene from the Netflix series. Despite her youth, Ortega has already starred in enough iconic screen roles for Burton’s sequel to feature various Easter eggs referencing her onscreen oeuvre. There are also nods to both Disney and Netflix, the former of which was Burton’s earliest Hollywood employer and the latter of which produced seasons 1 and 2 of Wednesday.

Scream Isn’t Jenna Ortega’s Only Past Role Referenced In Beetlejuice 2

Beetlejuice 2 Also References Burton and Ortega’s Earlier Collaboration Wednesday

The most obvious nod to Ortega’s role in Wednesday comes in the form of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s reference to its dance scene, but there are more. There is an audience member of Lydia Deetz’s TV show Ghost House who resembles Wednesday’s brother Pugsley, and a darker Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Easter egg that borrows from the Addams Family spinoff. Like Ortega’s Wednesday love interest Tyler, Astrid’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice love interest Jeremy is also revealed to be a duplicitous villain in the movie’s ending. Thus, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice crams in nods to not one, but two iconic earlier roles from Jenna Ortega’s impressive back catalogue.

Jenna Ortega exited the
Scream
series in November 2023, shortly after her co-star Melissa Barrera was fired.

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