No, There’s Nothing ‘Wrong’ With Jenna Ortega’s Face—Can We Stop Doing This to Women?

Social media trolls can’t stop talking about her appearance, creating a bigger conversation about why people are so obsessed with women’s choices.

Jenna Ortega at Netflix’s 2025 TUDUM event in California. / Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

After nearly three years of waiting, the highly anticipated sophomore season of Wednesday has arrived on Netflix. The successful fantasy series stars Jenna Ortega as the titular Addams Family character as she’s shipped off to Nevermore Academy, a school for supernatural beings. The new installment is releasing in two parts, with the first four episodes out on Aug. 3 and the next four out next month on Sept. 3.

While this is a particularly celebratory time for Ortega, as the press tour rolled out ahead of the release, many social media trolls attempted to dull that excitement with unwarranted comments. As we’ve seen time and time again with women celebrities in the spotlight, if they alter ANYTHING about their appearance, people have to comment—and the meanest people are often the loudest.

Case in point: Ortega, a conventionally attractive 22-year-old actress with perhaps an unconventional signature style—I call it “gothic glam” and couldn’t be more obsessed—has been busy promoting Wednesday Season 2, and people are unhappy with the way she looks. When I say “people,” I’m referring to mostly men, who don’t understand that a style change does not automatically mean cosmetic surgery. And even if it did, so what?

Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in Episode 201 of Wednesday. / Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2025

What exactly am I talking about? The outrage has been caused by Ortega bleaching her eyebrows.

Well, that, and the fact that many are sharing recent photos where contour makeup— and likely lighting—make her face look more sculpted.

Sure, Ortega looks a little different this press tour than she did while promoting the first season. That was back in 2022, and, as expected, she’s changed since then. Along with the California native’s edgy style, she’s also known to take fashion risks, including unique pieces and dramatic makeup. Her decision to bleach her eyebrows is, honestly, on-brand. She debuted this look back in April when promoting her movie Hurry Up Tomorrow, and while we loved it here at SI Swimsuit, many social media users did not.

The bleached eyebrows trend is certainly divisive; we’re not denying that. But they are a trend right now, one regarded by many as “rock ‘n roll” and totally cool.

On social media, trolls have been quick to accuse Ortega of getting a “Buccal fat removal procedure” to appear thinner in the face, sharing photos of the actress at previous events next to photos from the Wednesday Season 2 press tour. Some are even comparing her to other actresses, who have, sadly, been accused of the same thing online. I’m not going to link to all of the nasty comments here because I don’t want to give these people a platform, but, yes, it’s cruel.

the difference between women and men’s reaction on this look… this is actually the best she’s ever looked. https://t.co/y4e3e6MdxC

— pop culture gal (@allurequinn) July 31, 2025

the male vs female gaze will always fascinate me because i think jenna ortega looks great with the bleached brows

— chloé (@cinemakiwis) August 5, 2025

Of course, many of Ortega’s fans have rushed to her defense online, joining in on the discourse to remind people that makeup and other beauty styling can drastically change someone’s look. And that’s not a bad thing.

For people to assume that women’s personal fashion and beauty choices are for them to judge—especially in a public forum—is gross. Ortega isn’t getting dressed each day thinking about what another social media user is going to think about her look; she's carefully cultivating an aesthetic she loves.

At the end of the day, even if Ortega underwent cosmetic surgery—though it seems very unlikely—does it actually matter? The fact that so many people feel the need to share negative comments about her appearance is disappointing. And what’s even more sad is the fact that at this point, it’s not even surprising.

Earlier this year, Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown hit back at online trolls who continually accused her of getting cosmetic surgery due to the fact that she looked older. The 21-year-old actress rose to fame through the Netflix series, and was 12 at the time of the first season. Similarly, Ortega grew up in the public eye through roles on Jane the Virgin and Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle. Now that she’s in her early 20s, it’s as if people can’t cope with the fact that she’s growing up.

“This isn’t journalism. This is bullying. The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, it’s disturbing,” Brown wrote on Instagram in March in response to articles unfairly critiquing how she was aging.

People of all ages, no matter what gender, are going to physically change throughout their lives; it’s inevitable. The magnifying glass on women, scrutinizing them for every new look, has gotten simply exhausting. Ortega has made a name for herself in the entertainment and fashion industries, and her evolution in both has been nothing short of inspiring to watch. If she had never changed throughout her career, she probably wouldn’t be where she is today, providing joy for fans across the globe.

The first four episodes of Wednesday Season 2 are now streaming on Netflix.