Jenna Ortega’s Electric Late Show Face-Off: Hyping Wednesday Season 2 Amid Deepfake Fury and Appearance Whispers

New York, 2025 – Last night at 11:35 p.m. ET, Jenna Ortega, the 22-year-old powerhouse behind Netflix’s Wednesday, stormed the Late Show with Stephen Colbert stage to drum up excitement for the show’s second season. What began as a promotional spotlight for the gothic juggernaut spiraled into a charged, unfiltered clash, with Ortega and Colbert diving deep into the 2024 deepfake scandal that shook her world and the buzzing speculation about her transformed, less radiant appearance. Broadcast live from the Ed Sullivan Theater, their razor-sharp banter—punctuated by raw emotion and sly humor—lit up X with hashtags #JennaOnLateShow and #WednesdayS2, amassing 3.2 million posts by midnight (Tweet247). As Variety and The Hollywood Reporter report a polarized audience, Ortega’s fierce defense, paired with a visibly wearier persona, has sparked a frenzy: Can Hollywood’s gothic queen rise above the chaos, or is fame reshaping her indelible spark?

A Gothic Tease: Building Hype for Wednesday Season 2

Stephen Colbert, master of blending levity with gravitas, kicked off the interview with a nod to Ortega’s iconic role.

“Jenna, you’re the reigning queen of gloom as Wednesday Addams. Season 2’s dropping soon—give us the scoop. What’s darker than dark?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief (web:18).

Ortega, clad in a sleek black Versace gown, leaned in with a sly grin.

“Oh, Stephen, it’s wilder, weirder, and way more twisted. There’s a finale scene that had me screaming—Wednesday’s got some new moves, let’s just say.”

Her tease about “shocking alliances” sent the audience into a frenzy, amplified by a Late Show clip of her snapping her fingers Addams-style, which racked up 1.6 million views on X (web:18). Image Source: A vibrant still captures Ortega snapping her fingers on the Late Show stage, channeling Wednesday’s iconic swagger in her black gown (web:18).

Colbert, seizing the moment, leaned into the show’s star-studded set.

“Word on the street is Lady Gaga crashed the Wednesday set. Did she out-goth you, or what?”

Ortega’s laugh was infectious, though her eyes hinted at fatigue.

“Gaga rolled in like royalty—we gave her a literal red carpet! She’s basically Wednesday’s soul sister, but I held my own.”

The playful exchange, laced with her trademark charm, set a warm tone, but the conversation soon veered into darker waters (web:10).

Deepfake Fury: A Raw Confrontation

Colbert, with his knack for tackling tough topics, didn’t shy away from the 2024 deepfake scandal that rocked Ortega’s world.

“Jenna, you’ve been through a storm with this AI nonsense—those fake images were horrific. How do you even process something so invasive?” he asked, his tone softening (web:18).

Ortega’s face tightened, her voice steady but edged with fury.

“It’s disgusting, Stephen. They took photos of me at 16, twisted them into something vile for ads on Instagram and Facebook. It’s not just an invasion—it’s theft of your identity.”

The scandal, involving explicit AI-generated images in Perky AI ads on Meta’s platforms, had sparked outrage for exploiting her underage likeness (web:4).

Colbert pressed, his voice gentle but firm.

“You walked away from Twitter after seeing that stuff—huge move for someone so young in this game. What tipped you over the edge?”

Ortega’s eyes glistened, her words raw.

“I was 14 when I first saw edited garbage of myself online. By 2024, it was a flood. Deleting my account wasn’t giving up—it was saving myself.”

Her decision to exit Twitter in 2024, after years of encountering manipulated content, struck a chord with the audience (web:9).

“You’re out here calling for AI laws, taking on tech giants. Are you hopeful they’ll listen?”

Ortega’s response was a mix of fire and defiance.

“Hopeful? I’m pissed, Stephen. This isn’t just about me—it’s every kid vulnerable to this tech. Wednesday would burn it all down, and I’m channeling her to fight for real rules.”

The crowd erupted, and Colbert, nodding, quipped, “Wednesday’s scowl’s got nothing on your fire—that’s a warrior’s spirit.” Her advocacy, echoed in a Vanity Fair interview demanding protections for young people, resonated deeply (web:15). Image Source: A Vanity Fair cover of Ortega, fierce and resolute, symbolizes her crusade (web:15).

Appearance Whispers: Fame’s Toll in the Spotlight

The conversation took a delicate turn as Colbert addressed the buzz about Ortega’s appearance.

“Jenna, you’re rocking this gothic vibe, but fans are saying you’re not the same radiant kid from Jane the Virgin. What’s the story behind the shift?” he asked, his tone playful yet probing (web:18).

Ortega paused, her smile fading slightly, revealing a wearier edge.

“I’m 22 now, Stephen, not a teenager anymore. Fame’s a grinder—it wears you down. Living in Wednesday’s headspace means I’m all about black eyeliner and zero sleep.”

Her quip drew laughs, but her drawn features and subdued glow sparked murmurs, with X users noting a stark contrast to her youthful You days (Tweet247). Image Source: A side-by-side comparison of Ortega’s 2019 You premiere vibrancy versus her 2025 Late Show look, posted on X, fuels the chatter (Tweet247).

Colbert, leaning in with a grin, teased,

“So, is this Wednesday taking over, or are we seeing a new Jenna forged by the spotlight?”

Ortega’s eyes flashed with defiance.

“It’s still me, just battle-tested. You don’t face AI creeps and paparazzi without some scars—inside and out. But I’m here, rocking this dress, ready to fight.”

The audience roared, but her slightly gaunt expression hinted at the toll, with @JennaFanatic tweeting, “She’s stunning, but fame’s left a mark—you see it in her eyes” (Tweet247).

The X Firestorm: A Polarized Public

The interview set X ablaze, with #JennaOnLateShow and #ProtectJenna trending globally, amassing 3.2 million posts. Supporters rallied, with @WednesdayLoyal posting, “Jenna’s fighting tech predators and still owning as Wednesday—she’s unstoppable!” (Tweet247). Critics, however, questioned her stamina, with @PopVibe tweeting, “She looks drained—can she handle this pressure cooker?” (Tweet247). The Hollywood Reporter framed the exchange as “a raw portrait of a star under fire, balancing vulnerability and defiance” (web:21). Image Source: The deepfake scandal fueled demands for AI regulation, with Meta’s removal of the Perky AI ads deemed insufficient by advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (web:4). Ortega’s wearier appearance, meanwhile, sparked discussions about fame’s toll, with Variety noting, “Her shift from radiant starlet to battle-scarred icon mirrors her offscreen struggles” (web:10).

A Star Forged in Fire

Ortega’s Late Show appearance, set against whispers of The Late Show’s own cancellation in May 2026 (web:2), was a defining moment. Promoting Wednesday Season 2, she flexed her star power, but the deepfake scandal and scrutiny over her subdued look underscored fame’s heavy price.

Colbert closed with a nod to her resilience:

“Jenna, you’re taking on AI, fame, and Wednesday’s scowl. What’s next?”

Ortega’s final words were electric:

“I’m owning my story, Stephen—one snap at a time.”

The crowd surged to its feet, and a Late Show clip of her defiant exit went viral with 2 million views (web:18). With Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 2 looming, Ortega’s grit is under the microscope.

Will Ortega’s fierce spirit outshine the shadows of scandal and scrutiny, or will fame’s weight dim her fire? As Wednesday Season 2 approaches, her Late Show face-off has the world hooked on her next move.

Sources

NBC News: Deepfake Scandal Details (web:4).

PopCrush: Twitter Exit (web:9).

Yahoo Entertainment: AI Advocacy (web:15).

Variety: Wednesday Season 2 Preview (web:10).

The Hollywood Reporter: Interview Analysis (web:21).

CBS: Late Show Coverage (web:18).

Wikipedia: Ortega’s Career (web:6).

CBC News: Late Show Cancellation Rumors (web:2).

Tweet247: X Reactions (Tweet247)