Actress Jenna Ortega is set to appear on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar’s Summer 2025 Discovery Issue, hitting news stands next Tuesday (June 3).
The 22-year-old actress is featured wearing no bra or underwear under a bubblegum pink gown, posing in a series of revealing images shot by photographer Willy Vanderperre.
The theme of the photoshoot stands in line with an accompanying interview in which the actress lays her personal struggles bare in an effort to shed the stigma of being a child actor.
Highlights
- Jenna Ortega appeared braless and without underwear in a pink gown for Harper’s Bazaar’s Summer 2025 Discovery Issue.
- She was interviewed about the stigma of being a child actor and her efforts to be seen as a serious adult performer.
- Natalie Portman empathized with Ortega, adding that being physically small makes the process even harder.
“I was always very existential as a kid,” she said. “The world was always ending. I was worrying about things way earlier than I needed to.”
Jenna Ortega surprised fans with provocative cover on upcoming issue of Harper's Bazaar
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Ortega, who started acting in childhood, explained how acting became a safe space during her times of personal strife. “When I wasn't on set, I had a really, really hard time,” she added.
She described her teenage years as “full of tension and fear,” and suggested that working gave her structure when nothing else did.
Image credits: Harper’s BAZAAR/willyvanderperre
“Having some of that seriousness helps remind people, ‘I’m a grown-up,’” Ortega added, referencing her own efforts to be seen as more than a former child actor, a goal many of her peers have failed to achieve.
Image credits: Harper’s BAZAAR/willyvanderperre
Ortega also commented on the impact of social media on real-life interactions among her generation.
“We’re incredibly desensitized and disconnected from real interaction,” she said. “I mean, God, if you could speak to everybody like Wednesday—just say what you truly mean—it would be amazing!”
Her comparison refers to her now-iconic reinterpretation of Wednesday Addams, a character known for her deadpan bluntness and sharp honesty.
Ortega was interviewed alongside Natalie Portman, who empathized with her struggles as a child actress
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Ortega was joined by fellow actress Natalie Portman, also featured in the issue, who spoke about an often ignored fact of growing up in the spotlight as a child actress and trying to make an impact as an adult.
Image credits: jennaortega
For Portman, there is an inherent challenge to being taken seriously when you’re physically small, a sentiment Ortega echoed.
“We're both physically tiny, so people will often treat you like a child forever,” Portman explained. “I’m 43 now, and people kind of pat me on the head still.”
“I don't look like a child, but I often feel like I’m treated like a kid. Child actors often cultivate a serious persona because otherwise they’ll get treated like kids forever.”
“I relate to that so immensely,” Ortega replied. “You just don’t feel like you’re being taken seriously… There’s just something about it that’s very patronizing. Also, when you’re short, people are already physically looking down on you.”
Ortega is enjoying a highly successful period in her career, with a string of high-profile roles
Image credits: jennaortega
The interview comes amid major career momentum for Ortega, as she’s set to star alongside Robert De Niro in Shutout, a drama directed by David O. Russell.
The film follows De Niro’s character, Jake Kejeune, a seasoned pool-hall hustler, who mentors Mia, a gifted newcomer played by Ortega. As Mia’s skills develop, Jake must confront whether she’ll stick to the path he’s helped shape or break away on her own.
The movie is currently in pre-production. An estimated release date has not been informed at the time of writing.
Image credits: Harper’s BAZAAR/willyvanderperre
Ortega continues to build her career on a string of high-profile projects, including Wednesday, Scream, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and now, Shutout.
Her appearance in Harper’s Bazaar sees her making a conscious effort to embrace her adult side, leaving behind the stigma of being a child star.
"Icon." Fans took to social media to celebrate both the photoshoot and interview
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