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Jenna Ortega has admitted that she used to go 'all day without eating or drinking' as a child star because she didn't want to be 'in the way'.
The actress, 23, made her acting debut in 2012 sitcom Rob when she was just nine years old, before going on to land movie roles in the likes of Iron Man 3 and Insidious: Chapter 2 the following year.
But her enthusiasm for being on set may have come at a detriment to her wellbeing as Jenna told how she had made a 'mistake' by not taking care of herself.
In an interview with Esquire when asked about any rookie mistakes she had made in her career, the Wednesday star explained: 'I feel like I make mistakes now all the time, but, as a child, I was so grateful and so excited to be there that my game face was on.
'I wasn’t asking for a sip of water. I would go all day without eating, drinking, whatever, because I wanted so badly to not be in the way of anybody. Maybe that was my mistake, was not actually looking after myself.'
The beauty achieved global stardom thanks to her lead role in Netflix's horror-comedy Wednesday, while she'd previously made a name for herself in TV shows Jane the Virgin and You, in addition to big screen parts in The Fallout and the recent Scream movies.
Jenna Ortega has admitted that she used to go 'all day without eating or drinking' as a child star because she didn't want to be 'in the way' [pictured in October]
The actress, 23, made her acting debut in 2012 sitcom Rob when she was just nine-years old, before going on to land movie roles in the likes of Iron Man 3 and Insidious: Chapter 2
And Jenna told how her acting ambitions began when she was just seven years old, admitting that her 'stubbornness' gave her the drive to pursue her dream even when her parents 'laughed' at her plans.
She explained: 'I was 7 years old when I said I wanted to do this. My parents laughed at me when I told them that I wanted to do it, and then that was kind of the root of everything. The motivation. And I never really stopped, because I’m very stubborn. And then I never questioned it.'
She also added that fellow child star Dakota Fanning was her inspiration, noting how watching another young girl on screen 'felt like wisdom' and had taught her younger self what it was to be an actor.
It comes as Jenna became the latest celebrity to attract a flood of concerned remarks from fans on social media over her lean frame.
Ortega, best known for playing the titular member of the Addams Family on the Netflix series Wednesday, found herself facing the online scrutiny this week.
The actress starred in a light-hearted video in which she answered questions about her career, accompanying a new profile in Esquire.
And while she made the comments about her eating habits as a child, observers in the comments section however found their focus drawn less to her responses than to her strikingly thin figure.
'I already know what the comments are gonna be,' one sighed before others wrote: 'Jen …. Are you okay …,' and: 'sorry if its rude but is she ill? She doesn't look well. :(.'
'I wasn’t asking for a sip of water. I would go all day without eating, drinking, whatever, because I wanted so badly to not be in the way of anybody. Maybe that was my mistake'
The Daily Mail has contacted Ortega's representatives for comment.
During a red carpet event for Wednesday in May, held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for the Netflix festival FYSEE, Ortega was characteristically svelte but her heavily made-up complexion appeared less gaunt than in the new Esquire video.
Viewers of the clip posted such reactions as: 'Her too ?' 'i'm so tired of everyone shrinking,' 'Why'd she get so thin?' and: 'What is going on anyone notice this pattern .. :/ I hope these celebrities will take better care of themselves.'
'She needs several Ortega brand taco kits, ground beef, refried beans, rice, queso fundido...,' a viewer joked under the YouTube video.
Meanwhile, an X user uploaded a post that amassed over 5,000 likes demanding: 'How and why is no one else alarmed by how thin she is?'
The social media commentator continued: 'Can we stop pretending that this is normal and healthy and that she’s “always been this thin”? Because she hasn’t, it’s deeply concerning and I’m very scared for her wellbeing.'
Another X user quoted that tweet and wrote in a gentler tone: 'I agree that the change is noticeable, and I completely understand why people are concerned because it really doesn’t seem normal. I just hope she’s okay and has people around her looking out for her. It’s genuinely concerning to see.'
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