Jenna Ortega is trying on playing a seductress for size. The “Beetlejuice 2” and “Wednesday” star leads psychological thriller “Miller’s Girl” in what appears to be a ’90s-esque tale of twisted teen power dynamics set against the backdrop of an elite university.
Martin Freeman stars as the titular Mr. Miller, a teacher who becomes entangled with talented student Cairo (Ortega), who has an agenda all her own. As 18-year-old Cairo taunts Mr. Miller into a game of truth or dare, a more sinister scheme of blackmailing ensues.
The official synopsis reads: “A talented young writer (Ortega) embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher (Freeman) assigns a project that entangles them both in an increasingly complex web. As lines blur and their lives intertwine, professor and protégé must confront their darkest selves while straining to preserve their individual sense of purpose and the things they hold most dear.”
Dagmara Domińczyk, Bashir Salahuddin, and Gideon Adlon also star.
“Miller’s Girl” is written and directed by Jade Halley Bartlett, with Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Josh Fagen, and Mary-Margaret Kunze producing.
In addition to “Miller’s Girl,” Ortega appeared in “Finestkind” and was slated to star in the upcoming “Scream” iteration. However, Ortega exited “Scream 7” due to scheduling conflicts with “Wednesday” Season 2. “Wednesday” creators Al Gough and Miles Millar told IndieWire that the second season on the Netflix series will dive deeper into the Addams family’s Latin roots.
“We really try to find ways to [highlight that] authentically. What would Wednesday listen to when she was growing up? What would Gomez be playing? And finding moments where we could really make it feel like a girl who’s grown up in New Jersey with a Latino parent, and how would that resonate with her as a teen?” Millar said. “Certainly this season we’re looking for more ways to explore that.”
Millar added of Ortega’s rise in Hollywood, “[The show] catapulted her into superstardom. How do you make a movie star today? You put ’em in a hit Netflix show. That’s how it happens. And I think you see that with Jenna, and obviously it’s incredibly well deserved.”
Ortega is next leading a yet-untitled A24 project from “Waves” helmer Trey Edward Shults and “The Idol” co-creator Abel Tesfaye; Barry Keoghan co-stars.
“Miller’s Girl” premieres January 26 in theaters from Lionsgate. Check out the trailer below.
