Wednesday star Jenna Ortega reveals she avoided food for work: What exactly happens when you skip meals regularly?

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega recently opened up about the extreme lengths she went to as a child actor to avoid becoming a “problem” for anyone on set, revealing that she would sometimes ignore basic needs such as food and water. The Wednesday actor, now one of Hollywood’s most recognisable young actors, reflected on her early career in a recent interview with Esquire. Looking back, Ortega said she was intensely focused on making a good impression and was determined not to inconvenience the people around her.

Jenna Ortega reveals why she skipped meals; is it beneficial?

“I was so grateful and so excited to be there that my game face was on,” Ortega recalled. She said she struggled to identify any major mistake she had made as a young performer because she was so eager to prove herself. Ortega explained that her desire to stay out of the way sometimes meant suppressing even ordinary requests. “I wasn’t asking for a sip of water,” she said, recalling that she could go an entire day without eating or drinking because she “wanted so badly to not be in the way of anybody.”

The actress now views that behaviour differently. She acknowledged that failing to look after herself may have been the very mistake she made as a young performer. Her comments have sparked discussion about the pressures placed on child actors, particularly the expectation that young performers should behave professionally while working in demanding environments.

Was there any benefit to Ortega going without food but drinking water?

It is important not to interpret Ortega’s experience as a health-promoting fast. She was describing a situation in which she neglected her basic needs as a child, rather than deliberately following a medically supervised fasting plan. Research does suggest that some forms of intermittent fasting, in which calorie intake is restricted for defined periods while fluids are generally still consumed, may have benefits for certain adults. A National Institute on Ageing review found evidence of improvements in areas including weight and some metabolic health measures, although researchers stress that more long-term human research is needed. However, those findings do not mean that skipping meals for an entire workday is beneficial, particularly for children. Ortega’s experience also involved avoiding water at times, which is a separate concern.

The National Institutes of Health notes that water is essential for normal bodily functions and that inadequate fluid intake can lead to dehydration. Severe dehydration can cause confusion, fainting and rapid heartbeat, among other serious symptoms. Continuing to drink water during a calorie-restricted period is generally less concerning from a hydration standpoint than restricting both food and fluids, but that does not make prolonged food deprivation appropriate for a child.

From child actor to ‘Wednesday’ star

Ortega began acting professionally at a young age, appearing in projects including Jane the Virgin and Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle. She later gained widespread recognition for her role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday. She also reflected frankly on stereotypes surrounding child stars, suggesting that some of the stories associated with growing up in the entertainment industry may have more truth behind them than audiences realise. Despite the challenges, Jenna has said she never questioned her desire to act. She recalled knowing she wanted to pursue the profession from the age of seven, even though her parents initially laughed when she told them about her ambition.