Jenna Ortega is one of the biggest scream queens of the 2020s, but her roots in horror date back further than people realize, as one of the young actress’ first roles was in Insidious 2 (2013). The second installment in Leigh Whannell and James Wan’s Blumhouse franchise, Insidious 2 continues to chronicle the horrifying experiences of the Lambert family, this time with patriarch Josh (Patrick Wilson) possessed by a malevolent spirit. While critics didn’t love Insidious 2, it achieved monster success at the box office, raking in over $161 million against a $5 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).
Almost 10 years after Insidious 2‘s release, Jenna Ortega became the face of Gen Z horror. She played one of the main characters, Tara Carpenter, in the cast of Scream (2022), a role she would reprise in 2023 with Scream VI. Ortega also starred as Lorraine Day opposite fellow scream queen Mia Goth in Ti West’s X (2022). However, Ortega’s most famous scream queen role comes on the small screen, as she embodied the morbid Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday. While audiences wait for Wednesday season 2, they can check out old тιтles in Ortega’s filmography — including Insidious 2.
Jenna Ortega Plays Annie In Insidious: Chapter 2
The Young Annie Is The Only One Who Can See The Ghost Of Elise
Though Jenna Ortega is a leading lady in most of her horror projects, her role as Annie in Insidious: Chapter 2 is very small, and she only appears in the final scene. Prior to this, ghost hunters Specs (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson), former ᴀssociates of Elise Rainier’s (Lin Shaye), were helping the Lamberts with their possession problem. When the day is saved, the last scene sees them visiting another family, whose eldest daughter Allison (Dannay Rodriguez) is in an inexplicable coma, similar to Dalton (Ty Simpkins) in the first film.
When Specs and Tucker arrive, young Annie is standing at the door with her parents. She interrupts the adults’ conversation, asking “Who’s the lady?” Everyone is puzzled, as nobody else can see any lady, but Annie does in fact see the ghost of Elise, who smiles at Annie, holding her finger to her mouth in a “shh” motion. Elise slips into the family’s home where she sees the comatose Allison. A creaking noise is heard behind a terrified Elise before the credits roll.
Ortega has confessed that the doll she was holding in Insidious 2 freaked her out and reminded her of Annabelle.
While it’s definitely one of Ortega’s smaller roles, the 9-year-old actress gave audiences a glimpse of the scream queen to come. Ortega is beyond convincing as the young girl who knows what she saw, even if those around her don’t believe her. Her performance really helped sell the Insidious 2 ending, making it curious why Ortega never reprised her role in the horror movie franchise.
Insidious 2 Set Up A Return For Jenna Ortega’s Annie
There Was Talk Of Annie’s Family Coming Back To The Horror Franchise, But That Never Happened
With Insidious 2 ending on Annie and her family dealing with some sort of demonic activity, it seemed like a no-brainer that Insidious 3 would center on these newly established characters. In a TikTok interview, Ortega confirmed that there was indeed talk of the franchise going in that direction, but it never materialized. Instead, Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) was a prequel film centered around Elise Rainier, who was helping an entirely different family.
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From there, the Insidious franchise has continued to dominate at the box office. The fourth film, Insidious: The Last Key (2018) takes place after the events of Insidious 3 and continues to follow Elise Rainier. The most recent film in the franchise, 2023’s Insidious: The Red Door, marked Patrick Wilson’s directorial debut, and once again focused on the Lambert family. Earning over $189 million at the worldwide box office (via Box Office Mojo), Insidious 5 is the highest-grossing film in the franchise to date.
With such success, it’s no surprise that Insidious 6 is officially on its way. The Insidious franchise is also launching a spin-off film called Thread, with Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani set to star. While it would be fun to pick up with Annie over a decade later, the Insidious series is clearly moving in the right direction. Meanwhile, Jenna Ortega continues to thrill audiences with other fantastic projects.
Jenna Ortega’s Status As A Scream Queen Makes Sense For A Return
From Insidious 2 To Genre Dominance
Though Jenna Ortega’s role in Insidious: Chapter 2 was small, her career trajectory since then has cemented her as the scream queen of her generation – making a return to the Insidious franchise feel more fitting than ever. While she was only 11 years old when she played Annie, one of the poor souls haunted by the Bride in Black, Ortega has since become a staple in the horror genre, with a filmography that reads like a greatest hits list of modern horror.
Her major genre breakout came with The Babysitter: Killer Queen in 2020. While the film itself received mixed reviews, Ortega stood out for bringing energy, wit, and a dose of grounded emotion to the slasher sequel. It was a sign of things to come. She followed that up with a scene-stealing performance in Ti West’s X, the critically acclaimed 2022 slasher homage that leaned into ’70s horror. However, it was 2022’s Scream and its 2023 sequel Scream VI that really launched Jenna Ortega into horror stardom.
While she’s grown far beyond the minor role she played as a child, Ortega’s current status as a horror icon gives the franchise a unique opportunity.
Stepping into the iconic franchise as Tara Carpenter, Ortega brought a fresh and compelling edge to the series. Her performance in the opening scene of Scream (a direct callback to Drew Barrymore’s in the original) instantly became one of the most talked-about horror moments in recent memory. She became one of the new faces of the franchise, leading the charge alongside Melissa Barrera’s Sam Carpenter.
As if that wasn’t enough, Ortega took on the тιтular role in Wednesday, Netflix’s smash-hit horror comedy series based on The Addams Family. Though it’s not traditional horror, the show’s gothic aesthetic, macabre tone, and supernatural plotlines only further established Ortega’s presence in the spooky space. Her ᴅᴇᴀᴅpan delivery, eerie charisma, and captivating screen presence turned Wednesday into a cultural phenomenon. Her appearance in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel to his 1988 cult classic, cemented Ortega’s reputation as a go-to for horror as a genre.
Given her horror-heavy filmography, a return to Insidious would feel like coming full circle. While she’s grown far beyond the minor role she played as a child, Ortega’s current status as a horror icon gives the franchise a unique opportunity. Bringing her back – perhaps in a more prominent role – would not only serve as fan service but also infuse the series with fresh energy and star power. Considering how Insidious continues to evolve, having someone like Ortega step back into that world feels like a natural and exciting move.
