The Wild Rumor About Jenna Ortega's Love Life She Totally Laughed Off
Most celebrities find themselves at the mercy of the rumor mill at one time or another, and "Wednesday" star Jenna Ortega is no exception. In 2023, a celebrity gossip site sparked a rumor that Ortega was dating a very unlikely fellow actor: then-sixty-year-old Johnny Depp. Relationship gossip isn't unusual, and Ortega's own relationship history is peppered with just as many alleged affairs as confirmed romances, but what made this rumor truly wild was the actual nature of Ortega's connection to Depp: she didn't know him at all.
Per USA Today, Ortega reportedly shut down the rumor soon after it picked up steam in a sternly-worded Instagram story. "This is so ridiculous I can't even laugh. I have never met or worked with Johnny Depp in my life," she wrote. "Please stop spreading lies and leave us alone." Johnny Depp also vehemently denied the rumor, and a representative told NME, "Mr. Depp has no personal or professional relationship with Ms. Ortega whatsoever. He has never met her or spoken to her."
However, as upsetting as hearing untrue stories about yourself may be, Ortega made it clear that she didn't let this pervasive rumor get her down in a 2024 BuzzFeed Celeb interview. While playing with adorable puppies, Ortega shared her memories of what she considers the most ridiculous rumor she's ever heard about herself.
Jenna Ortega was able to see the humor in the rumor
Although some celebrities lash out in response to false rumors, Jenna Ortega took her imaginary Johnny Depp relationship with a grain of salt. In a BuzzFeed Celeb interview a year after the rumors first surfaced, Ortega admitted she had a major crush on Barack Obama as a kid and was able to chuckle at the absurdity of the Depp situation. Ortega described how she felt about the situation: "It's so insane to me. I never spoke on that, I never said anything like that. Articles really do just make up their own quotes, but I thought that was pretty hilarious."
As Ortega went on to explain, the ridiculousness of this rumor even followed her to work, where one curious co-star asked her about Depp: "I was on set with Richard E. Grant and he said, 'Oh, so you and Johnny?' and I laughed because I don't know that person." Being able to laugh at this silly bit of tabloid fodder suggests that Ortega doesn't take herself too seriously, which is a great attitude to have in the entertainment industry.