Jenna Ortega joinsBeetlejuice 2as a newcomer among the sequel movie’s cast, and the age of her character, Astrid, has something in common with the first film. At just 21 years old (soon to be 22), Ortega has become one of Hollywood’s rising stars. Roles in Disney Channel’sStuck in the Middleand The CW’sJane the Virginopened doors for the young actress, butOretga’s version of Wednesday Addamstook her celebrity status to new levels. It also didn’t hurt that she starred in two entries of theScreamfranchise, resulting in a “Final Girl” label.
After working with Tim Burton onWednesday, Ortega was cast as Lydia Deetz’s daughter for the sequel that was a long time in the making.Beetlejuice 2’s returning castmight have caught attention, especially with the confirmation of Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, and Catherine O’Hara. Still, a lot of excitement stemmed from Ortega’s role, especially from the younger generations who have been following her growing career. Speaking of young, Ortega is still at an age that can effectively portray a range of characters, even if they are a few years younger, like Astrid’s case.
How Old Betelgeuse Is In Beetlejuice Movies
Though he seems evocative of no time period at all, Michael Keaton’s Betelgeuse has been around for several centuries in Beetlejuice & Beetlejuice 2.
Jenna Ortega’s Astrid Is 16 In Beetlejuice 2
The Actress Was A Few Years Older Than Her Beetlejuice Character
Based on what’s been shared in Tim Burton’s sequel,Jenna Ortega’s Astrid is 16 years old during theBeetlejuice 2timeline. Being a teenager is difficult enough, but Astrid is also heavily struggling with her family life, particularly regarding her relationship with Lydia. Aside from being a stereotypical angry teenager, Astrid is still dealing with the loss of her father and grandfather.The Deetz familydynamic only gets more complicated with Beetlejuice’s return, as well as Astrid’s introduction to the Neitherworld and all of the chaotic elements within the afterlife.
Ortega has experience playing a 16-year-old because that’s the age of her titular character in Netflix’sWednesday.
Though Ortega plays a high school-age teen in Beetlejuice 2, the actress is a few years beyond that point in real life. When theBeetlejuice 2cast was filming the sequel,Ortega was 20 years old and turned 21 when filming wrapped up in November 2023. Interestingly, Ortega has experience playing a 16-year-old because that’s the age of her titular character in Netflix’sWednesday. Despite being a few years older, Ortega has been able to expertly capture teen angst and characters who don’t hesitate to embrace a dark demeanor.
How Astrid’s Age Compares To Lydia’s In The Original Beetlejuice Movie
Astrid Is Around The Same As Lydia In 1988’s Beetlejuice
Astrid’s age inBeetlejuice 2is likely a calculated callback to Lydia in the original 1988 movie, seeing as Ryder’s character was also around 16. When it was first announced that Lydia had a teenage daughter in the sequel, there was an assumption that the new character would essentially be the “new Lydia.” While there are similarities between the two characters, Astrid was never meant to be a mirror of Lydia. As for Ryder’s character,Lydia’s age would be around 52 inBeetlejuice 2. Since Ryder was around Lydia’s age when working on the original movie, the actress and her character’s age match within the timeline.
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