Jenna Ortega has quickly become one of the most in-demand young actresses in Hollywood. After breakout roles in popular projects like You, Jane the Virgin, and Scream, Ortega has seen her career reach new heights with her starring role as Wednesday Addams in the hit Netflix series Wednesday.
With her immense talent and growing fame, many fans are curious – just how much does Jenna Ortega make per episode of Wednesday? Let’s take a closer look at Ortega’s salary and net worth.
Jenna Ortega’s Career Rise
Jenna Ortega, born in 2002, got her start as a child actress in shows like CSI: NY and Jane the Virgin. In 2018, she landed a breakout role as Ellie Alves in the second season of the Netflix thriller You. This high-profile part put Ortega firmly on the map in Hollywood.
The following years saw Ortega gain even more visibility with roles in popular horror projects like The Babysitter: Killer Queen, Scream (2022), and X. She also starred as the lead character in the Netflix coming-of-age film The Fallout.
But Ortega’s career reached new heights in 2022 when she was cast as the iconic Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday series. The show became a massive hit, with Ortega’s portrayal of the deadpan Wednesday earning rave reviews. As the undisputed star of the series, Ortega’s fame and actingprofile rose exponentially.
Jenna Ortega’s Salary for Wednesday
So just how much does Ortega make per episode as the star of Wednesday? Specific details have not been made public, but various reports estimate Ortega’s per-episode salary to be around $25,000.
This is a significant sum for an up-and-coming actress like Ortega. But it pales in comparison to the massive per-episode fees commanded by more established TV stars. For comparison:
- Millie Bobby Brown is said to make $300,000 – $350,000 per Stranger Things episode
- Sterling K. Brown makes $250,000 per This Is Us episode
- Elisabeth Moss earns $200,000 per The Handmaid’s Tale episode
So while Ortega’s reported $25,000 per episode is impressive for a young actress, it’s not exactly an eye-popping salary. And it’s almost certainly much less than what more experienced adult stars make on comparable hit shows.
However, Ortega’s paycheck will almost certainly increase significantly when she negotiates a new deal for Wednesday season 2. With the show’s huge success, Ortega now has major leverage that she’ll likely use to land a big pay bump. A per-episode salary in the $100,000 – $150,000 range seems plausible for Ortega in a Wednesday season 2 contract.
Jenna Ortega’s Net Worth
In addition to her Wednesday salary, what is Jenna Ortega’s current overall net worth? Here’s a look at estimates of her current net worth:
| Source | Estimated Net Worth |
|---|---|
| Celebrity Net Worth | $3 million |
| Wealthy Gorilla | $1.5 million |
| TVOverMind | $1 million |
As you can see, estimates of Ortega’s current net worth range from $1 million on the lower end up to $3 million on the higher end. The Wednesday salary contributes to her rising net worth, but so do her numerous other acting roles in recent years.
What Factors Determine Ortega’s Earnings?
Several key factors go into determining Jenna Ortega’s earnings for any given project:
1. Her fame and demand
The more popular an actor is, the more leverage they have to command a high salary. Ortega was not nearly as in-demand early in her career compared to now following her Wednesday breakout. Her per-project fee has steadily risen thanks to her growing fame.
2. The project’s budget
Higher-budget productions typically have more room in their budgets to pay top dollar for talent. A show like Wednesday has a big budget as a high-profile Netflix series, allowing for a respectable salary for Ortega.
3. Screen time
Leading roles pay more than supporting parts. As the star and focal point of Wednesday, Ortega commands significantly higher pay than she would for a smaller supporting part.
4. Deal negotiations
An actor’s representatives negotiate fiercely to get them the highest salary possible. More experienced agents are often able to negotiate larger salaries for their clients during the dealmaking process.
Future Earning Potential
At just 20 years old, Jenna Ortega has many potentially extremely lucrative years ahead of her. While her current Wednesday salary may be modest compared to more established stars, Ortega has enormous potential to command much larger paydays in the near future.
As her fame and resume continues growing, Ortega will likely be able to negotiate multi-million dollar deals for future projects. Within the next 5-10 years, it would not be surprising to see Ortega transition from a per-episode salary in the tens of thousands to one in the hundreds of thousands or even millions.
In addition to acting paychecks, Ortega can also expect to earn substantial income from endorsements and sponsorships as her celebrity status rises. She may follow the footsteps of other Gen Z stars like Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish in landing lucrative deals with major brands.
How Much Do Other Wednesday Cast Members Make?
For context, here’s a look at the estimated salaries of some other key cast members on Netflix’s Wednesday:
- Catherine Zeta-Jones (Morticia Addams): $2 – $3 million per season
- Luis Guzmán (Gomez Addams): $1.5 – $2 million per season
- Gwendoline Christie (Principal Larissa Weems): $100,000 – $150,000 per episode
- Emma Myers (Enid Sinclair): $15,000 – $25,000 per episode
Zeta-Jones and Guzmán have longer resumes and likely negotiated higher salaries. But the salaries for supporting cast members like Christie and Myers are more comparable to Ortega’s reported low six-figure per episode rate.
The Value of Wednesday to Netflix
While Jenna Ortega’s current Wednesday salary may seem modest compared to many top TV stars, her value to Netflix for the series is enormous.
As the breakout star playing the title character, Ortega’s performance is absolutely essential to the show’s success. Her compelling portrayal of Wednesday Addams is a huge reason the show attracted over 100 million views on Netflix in its first month.
So while Netflix may be getting Ortega at a relative bargain right now, they are more than getting their money’s worth in value from her work. And as Wednesday continues to expose Ortega’s talents to a global audience, her future earning power will keep rising exponentially.
Any companies or brands looking to attach themselves to Hollywood’s crop of young rising stars would also be wise to view Ortega as an extremely valuable potential partner.
So while specific details on Ortega’s Wednesday salary remain somewhat vague for now, there is no doubt that her time as a low-paid up-and-comer is limited. As her star continues to take off thanks to her breakout success on the show, Jenna Ortega’s earning power and net worth will likely skyrocket in the coming years.
Conclusion
Even in the early stages of her career, Jenna Ortega has already proven herself as a talented young actress with the popularity and fan following to become a major star. While she may still be earning a modest per-episode salary by veteran TV star standards, Ortega’s future earning potential is enormous.
Within a few short years, it would not be surprising at all to see Ortega transition from making tens of thousands per episode to earning hundreds of thousands or even millions. For now, her estimated $25,000 per episode Wednesday salary is in line with other up-and-coming actresses. But thanks to her standout lead performance on the show, Ortega is poised for major salary levels in the near future – especially if the series returns for a lucrative season 2 deal.