Long awaited Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, in now in cinemas, and while it was directed by Tim Burton, it seems one of the film's stars had a substantial impact on the film's direction.
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Speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Wednesday producer Tommy Harper said that Jenna Ortega, who has joined the film as new character Astrid, was like an "assistant director" to Burton.
He said: "I think we noticed that on Wednesday, she's very professional. She's a student of film and television, and she stays on set between the setups. And on Beetlejuice, it just got to a different level. I mean, we laugh about it, but she almost is like the little assistant director on the set in a weird way.
"I mean, she knows where the camera might go next. And she and Tim have this very... she kind of observes and shadows a lot on set, and sits and watches the lighting setups and and just will watch, even if she's not on camera, other performances. And so she's a very… she's a student of film, very professional, and is a pleasure to work with."
Jenna Ortega and Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. WB
Ortega previously revealed that she "changed lines" while on the set of Wednesday.
She said: "I would have to sit down with the writers and they’d be like, ‘Wait, what happened to the scene?’ And I would have to go through and explain why I couldn’t do certain things."
Ortega plays Astrid Deetz, in the film, who is the daughter of Winona Ryder's character from the original film, Lydia.
Astrid's discovery of the mysterious model of the town in the attic, and the portal to the Afterlife, sets the film's plot in motion, as Michael Keaton's ghost character returns.
Harper also explained how Ortega came to be cast in the film, saying: "At the time when we were writing the script, we were in the middle of filming Wednesday, and we didn't quite know what it would be at all.
"We were just making this thing, having a blast with it. Tim was having a lot of fun, so we were writing the script. And we wrote the script, probably subconsciously with her maybe in mind, but it wasn't like that's who's going to play the role. We just wrote the role, wrote a great character.
"And then... I remember reading the script, and Tim and I talking and going, ‘You know who would be perfect for this?’ And he's like 'Ah yeah, you think she'd want to do it?' And those were the conversations.
"And really, Tim and Jenna sat down and he handed her the script days before Wednesday was being released. We were in town for the premiere, and he just said to her, 'Why don't you read this? I would love for you to be part of it. If you find something in it, you can play this role'.
"That's how it kind of happened. And we were very fortunate that she leaned into it and wanted to play the role. She loves Beetlejuice, the original, and so it was....we're very fortunate to have her. She's an amazing actress."
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
