Jenna Ortega has found herself at the center of controversy over her appearance

Jenna Ortega, known for her roles in the series “Wednesday” and “Scream,” has become the latest subject of discussions about beauty standards in Hollywood. Following the release of her new interview with Esquire, social media users began actively discussing the 23-year-old actress’s appearance. Some users noted that Ortega looks very thin. Some commenters wrote that this concerns them, while others urged people not to draw conclusions about a person’s health based solely on their photos.

Comments such as “I’m genuinely worried about what’s happening to this girl” and “The situation is becoming alarming” appeared on social media. Other users, on the other hand, pointed out that viewers don’t know what’s going on in the actress’s personal life or whether her appearance has anything to do with her health. In other words, this is currently just a matter of online users’ reactions, not confirmed information regarding Ortega’s health. The actress’s representatives have not stated that she has an eating disorder or any other illness. Likewise, there is no confirmation that she is taking weight-loss medications.

Ortega spoke about her difficult childhood experiences

Amid the current discussions, a part of her Esquire interview in which Ortega recalled the beginning of her acting career has drawn particular attention. According to her, as a child she was so afraid of getting in the way of others at work that she would go an entire day without eating or even asking for water. “I was so afraid of being a burden to others that I wouldn’t even ask for a sip of water. I could go a whole day without eating or drinking because I didn’t want to bother anyone,” the actress said.

This story quickly took on new significance after users noticed her current appearance. Some people speculated that Ortega might still be prioritizing her work over her own needs. But it’s important to distinguish between what the actress actually said about her past and users’ assumptions about her current condition. Her words do not imply that she is currently starving herself, has an eating disorder, or is intentionally losing weight.

That is precisely why journalistic coverage of this topic must be particularly cautious. A person’s appearance alone is not evidence of an illness or a specific method of weight loss.

What Does Ariana Grande Have to Do With This?

Following the discussion about Ortega, users began mentioning Ariana Grande, whose appearance has also regularly been the subject of controversy on social media in recent years. Photos of the singer have repeatedly sparked comments about her weight and health. This was discussed particularly actively during the promotional campaign for the movie *Wicked*, and the debate flared up again later due to her public appearances in 2026.

In Grande’s case, there’s an important detail to consider. The singer herself has repeatedly asked people not to draw conclusions about her health based on her appearance. Back in 2023, she recorded a video in response to a wave of comments about her body. Grande explained that people were comparing her current appearance to a time when, in their opinion, she looked “healthier.”

But the singer herself revealed that, in reality, that period had been very difficult for her. She noted that she was taking antidepressants, drinking alcohol while on them, eating poorly, and going through one of the hardest times of her life. “There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful,” Grande said, emphasizing that people can’t know the whole story behind another person’s appearance.

Ariana Grande asked people not to judge others based on their bodies

This wasn’t the first time Grande had to defend herself against such comments. In 2024, during the promotional campaign for *Wicked*, she again spoke about the constant scrutiny of her appearance. The singer noted that since her teenage years, she has felt like someone who is constantly being scrutinized and judged. She also spoke about how difficult it is to defend herself against such pressure when her body is constantly being discussed by millions of people.

In 2025, Grande even reposted an old video urging people not to comment on others’ bodies. She called it a “friendly reminder” for her fans. That’s why the current comparisons between Ortega and Grande seem somewhat ironic. Both have found themselves in a situation where attention to their work and creativity takes a back seat, while their appearance becomes the main topic of discussion.

Has the trend toward extreme thinness really returned to Hollywood?

This is precisely the question currently being actively discussed in the media and on social media. In recent years, the conversation around beauty standards has shifted: following a period when the industry actively promoted body positivity and body diversity, an increasing number of extremely thin figures have once again become prominent in popular culture. Ariana Grande has become one of the most prominent examples in this debate. Now Jenna Ortega has joined her, although the reasons behind the changes in the appearances of both the actress and the singer cannot be reliably determined based on photographs alone.

At the same time, GLP-1 agonists—medications used to treat obesity and other medical conditions—are attracting a great deal of attention. This group includes, in particular, semaglutide and tirzepatide. Due to the noticeable prevalence of these drugs in society, they are often linked to celebrities’ dramatic weight loss.

But in this case, it’s important not to confuse a general trend with specific individuals. Just because GLP-1 drugs have become popular doesn’t mean that every celebrity with a slim figure is taking them. There is no evidence to suggest this is the case with Jenna Ortega. Nor is there any evidence that her appearance is linked to diets, medications, or an eating disorder.

Why Do People React So Strongly to Celebrities’ Thinness?

The problem is that social media allows a person’s appearance to become the main topic of discussion within a matter of hours. A single video or photo is enough for thousands of people to start analyzing a celebrity’s face, arms, figure, and clothing. At the same time, viewers see only a single moment. They don’t know how the person eats, how much they sleep, what medications they take, whether they have chronic health conditions, or if they’re simply naturally thin.

Experts on eating disorders also emphasize that it’s impossible to determine a person’s health based on their appearance. People can have health problems at any weight, and appearance doesn’t provide enough information for medical conclusions. Therefore, even a comment written with good intentions can become part of the problem—especially if thousands of people write to someone every day telling them they’re “too thin,” “look sick,” or “need to gain weight.”

Is This Really a Dangerous Trend?

It would be too categorical to call the current situation a proven “dangerous Hollywood trend.” There is clearly a wave of discussion surrounding very thin celebrities and the return of extreme thinness as a popular aesthetic ideal, but that doesn’t mean all celebrities are losing weight in the same way or doing so just to follow a trend. At the same time, the problem of beauty standards is very real. This is especially dangerous for young audiences, who see photos of celebrities and may perceive their appearance as the ideal.

The constant display of extremely thin bodies can create the impression that this particular figure is a prerequisite for beauty, success, or popularity. And when the real-life circumstances of a person remain behind the scenes, the viewer is left with only a beautiful image devoid of context. That is precisely why Jenna Ortega’s story has sparked a broader conversation. The issue isn’t just how much weight a particular actress has lost, but also why society is so quick to judge a woman’s body and draw conclusions about her health based on just a few frames. And here, Ariana Grande’s words ring especially true: “You never know the whole story, so be kinder to one another.” Boredpanda writes about this.

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