Jenna Ortega has revealed that one of her earliest movie roles nearly ended with an embarrassing fall. The actress was only 9 when she landed a small part in Marvel’s Iron Man 3. Her excitement about finally working on a major movie kept her committed to the role throughout the day. Unfortunately, staying in character for so long came with an unexpected physical consequence.
Jenna Ortega reveals she almost got injured on the set of ‘Iron Man 3’
Ortega spent her shooting day sitting in a wheelchair with one leg tucked underneath her. Her character, the vice president’s granddaughter, was missing a leg in the film, according to Entertainment Weekly.
“I didn’t want to move,” Ortega recalled. She said she felt so happy to be working as an actor that she remained in the wheelchair all day.
Eventually, her leg went completely numb.
When filming ended, Ortega said she started limping toward the car. The sensation felt like “television static” running through her leg. Then came the close call.
“I almost fell on my face getting out of the wheelchair,” she said.
Despite the uncomfortable ending, Ortega remembers the experience fondly. She had spent years asking her mother to let her audition and felt thrilled when she booked the movie.
The Jenna Ortega Iron Man 3 cameo ultimately lasted only a few seconds. Her dialogue did not make the final cut, something she has joked about before. Still, the role marked her big-screen debut years before Wednesday turned her into a global star.
Ortega discussed the memory alongside Klara and the Sun director Taika Waititi. He jokingly suggested Iron Man 3 caused permanent damage to her leg. Ortega played along, replying that it had “never been the same.”
Her early Marvel experience also looks amusing in light of her current ambitions. Ortega recently said she wants to become an action star in the vein of Tom Cruise and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Her career has changed considerably since that tiny Marvel role. She has also become more comfortable asserting herself on set after initially struggling to understand Tim Burton’s working style during Wednesday.
For Ortega, though, Iron Man 3 remains memorable for a simpler reason: she was so excited to act that she almost could not stand up afterward.
