Jenna Ortega sparks mixed reactions as she believes she auditioned for one of Zendaya’s most famous roles

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jenna Ortega recently hinted that she may have auditioned for a role in Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune' adaptation at just 15. 

In an interview, Ortega reminisced about her excitement for the audition and speculated she was reading for Zendaya's role of Chani. 

As she promotes her latest film, 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', Ortega reflects on her early career and her journey with Tim Burton's sequel to the 1988 classic.

Jenna Ortega speculates that she may have read for Zendaya's role in 'Dune'

In a BuzzFeed interview, the 21-year-old actress revealed her excitement at the prospect of working with the acclaimed director during the project’s early stages.

“I think I auditioned for ‘Dune’ when I was about 15,” Ortega said when asked about surprising roles she had tried out for. 

She reminisced, "I remember being a big fan of that film and that franchise and everything like that and being really excited for that interview because Denis [Villeneuve] is one of my favorite filmmakers.”

Ortega speculated that she might have read for the role of Chani, which Zendaya ultimately played in both Dune films. “I think it was Chani. I think it was Zendaya’s. But they weren’t saying that. Everything was very secret,” she noted. 

Zendaya was cast in 'Dune' in January 2019, suggesting that Villeneuve was meeting with actors, possibly including Ortega, in the months prior. At 27, Zendaya is six years older than Ortega, while Timothee Chalamet, who plays Paul Atreides, is 28.

Ortega’s audition for 'Dune' was not her first. Having been in the industry since childhood, she recently said that she sometimes regrets starting her acting career at a young age, but she wouldn’t change a thing.

“My mother had seen the way that other children maybe weren’t protected or weren’t as looked after,” Ortega reflected. “She watched over me like a hawk, so I think for her, it was more empathizing and wishing she somehow could have done something to help. She just called me saying she was so grateful that things were OK and that she was there to witness everything.”

Ortega is currently promoting her new film, 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', where she stars as Astrid, the daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), as per Variety.

This sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 classic reunites Ortega with Burton, with whom she previously worked on Netflix’s 'Wednesday'. 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' is set to hit theaters on September 6.

Jenna Ortega's claims on Zendaya's role in 'Dune' sparks discussion online

After Jenna Ortega's speculation that she may have auditioned for Zendaya's role in 'Dune', many people quickly weighed in with their opinions. Some suggested Ortega might have been a better fit for the role, while others argued that Zendaya was perfect for it.

One user claimed, "She would’ve been better 🤷‍♂️"

Another claimed, "They made the right choice," and one user added, "Zendaya was perfect imo." 

Someone else shared, "Zendaya was brilliant, she was the best choice."

Another user on X (formerly known as Twitter) stated, "Wait she would have been great for the role too. Zendaya was perfect though." 

One more person said, "Wait but she would fit aswell."

Another individual shared a GIF from the film and stated, "Glad she didn't get it, Zendaya is perfect 💯 The Chemistry between Paul and Chani wouldn't have been as good."

A user said, "THIS WOULDVE HAPPENED IM SO MAD 😭"

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