Yes, Jenna Ortega Was on DAYS!

These days, Jenna Ortega is a successful Hollywood star, with her recent movie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice , at the top of the box office and her popular Netflix series, Wednesday, returning for a second season next year. But like many actors, she got her start on a soap. Back in 2013, as her career was just getting underway, a young Ortega appeared in an episode of Days of Our Lives ! “She was fantastic, then and now!” Eileen Davidson (ex-Kristen) shared on Twitter/X of her talented young co-star.

In the Aug. 15, 2013 show, Kristen and Eric were interviewing potential candidates for a scholarship program and Ortega appeared as a possible student named Hayley. Her guardian, who was also her second cousin, explained that Hayley’s mother had died six months ago and her grades had begun to suffer. Eric attempted to talk to the little girl but she refused to speak. After he left to speak with the cousin, Kristen assured Hayley she didn’t have to talk if she didn’t want to and she responded by wondering why she thought she didn’t want to talk.

Startled, Kristen admitted that she thought she had an idea of what Hayley was going through and explained how she lost most of her family at a young age as well and felt cheated out of something important. She confessed she sometimes felt like screaming and crying but then everyone else would start freaking out. Hayley nodded in agreement as tears streamed down her cheeks. Kristen assured her that things would get better one day and they shared a warm embrace before Eric interrupted and sent Hayley back to her cousin.

Ortega only appeared in one episode of DAYS , but as her career blossomed, she enjoyed a recurring role as Young Jane in Jane the Virgin and starred in the Disney Channel sitcom Stuck in the Middle (with General Hospital’s ex-Spencer, Nicolas Bechtel). Transitioning into adult roles, Ortega more recently starred in 2022’s Scream and its sequel, Scream VI , and has multiple upcoming projects, including the second season of Wednesday.

She’s in good company with other stars who got their start on DAYS. Christina Applegate played infant Burt Grizell (her mother, Nancy Priddy, was a cast member at the time), Mila Kunis played a young Hope Brady for an episode, Lisa Rinna got her big break playing Billie Reed, and Jensen Ackles kickstarted his career playing Eric Brady.