'There was so much that I could have done and should have done,' the Golden Globe nominee told ET on Tuesday.
Jenna Ortega officially made her Golden Globes debut! The Wednesday star wowed on the red carpet Tuesday in a flowing nude Gucci gown with cutouts as she arrived at the 80th annual awards ceremony. The 20-year-old actress topped off her goddess-inspired look with a dark red bob flipped out at the ends, and matching diamond necklaces and rings.
Not only did Ortega make her Golden Globes debut, but it also marks her very first Golden Globe nomination, with Ortega nominated in the Best Actress -- Television Series Musical or Comedy category as Wednesday Addams in the hit show. If Ortega wins, she'd be the youngest actress in the category to take home the trophy.
ET's Nischelle Turner spoke with Ortega on the Globes carpet ahead of the ceremony about being a breakout sensation following the success of Wednesday, even going so far as calling her a "phenomenon."
"I'm not calling myself that but I definitely feel like there's been a shift in my life and I feel like it's definitely a new time in my life," Ortega said. "So it's been a bit of an adjustment."
Ortega admitted she never foresaw Wednesday's iconic dance, which she helped choreograph, to go viral on social media. So much so that fans, including Lady Gaga, have even recreated it themselves.
"Even that I still can't believe because even that was -- some of the moves I had planned, some of it was improv. That was one of the scenes I stay awake thinking about because I thought there was so much that I could have done and should have done," she confessed. "So the fact that anyone is showing appreciation and try it themselves, it's not fathomable to me."
The former Disney star revealed she doesn't go on TikTok or other social media platforms to see what fans are latching onto or responding to from the show. "No, I can't be on TikTok. I can't do any of that stuff," she said. "I think good or bad, it's probably not a healthy place to be."
Ortega's Wednesday co-star, Percy Hynes White, who plays Xavier, joined the interview and he agreed with Ortega, saying that the popularity of Wednesday has driven him "mad" -- in a good way, of course.
"I can rarely figure out what's happening, but I think I'm very proud and very excited every day when I wake up and remember," the actor said of being part of a zeitgeisty show.
Ortega noted that she, White and her castmates are extremely close off set. "We got really, really lucky and it's nice because we're still in contact with our cast every day," she said.
The official Wednesday Instagram praised Ortega for her Golden Globe nomination in a post after the nominations were announced Dec. 12, congratulating both Ortega and the show. "Congrats and thanks to @jennaortega for filling the empty void within our souls," they wrote, sticking to the tone of the comedy-horror series.
While Wednesday only just dropped in November, it's already been renewed for a second season, after breaking records on Netflix and spawning a viral TikTok dance.
Of course, Ortega took a moment to offer a juicy tease for Scream 6, which is set to hit theaters March 10. "I'm really excited. It's pretty gory. It takes place in New York. We shot it last June/July/August in Montreal. I'm very, very excited for people to see that," she said
"There was a lot of pressure coming into that because initially my role was doing a spin on Drew Barrymore's part, which is obviously legendary," Ortega added. "I think because I've sat with the project long enough, I've been able to accept it. It's still such an honor to work with someone like Ghostface. It's a dream."
The 80th annual Golden Globe Awards officially returned to NBC this year after last year's cancellation following repeated controversy over the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's nominations process and lack of diversity in its membership.
The 2022 Golden Globes were not televised after being canceled by NBC, and were held without an audience or red carpet. In a press release announcing the Golden Globes return this year, Frances Berwick, Chairman, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, noted the HFPA's ongoing efforts to increase diversity in their voting membership.
His statement read in part, "This diverse voting body is now represented by 62 different countries around the world. Combined with the current HFPA membership, the total Golden Globe Awards voting body is now 52% female, 51.5% racially and ethnically diverse, with 19.5% Latinx, 12% Asian, 10% Black and 10% Middle Eastern."
Hosted by comedian Jerrod Carmichael, the Golden Globes air live on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock. Stay tuned to ETonline.com for complete Golden Globes coverage, including this year's winners.
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