Jenna Ortega admits she was 'hesitant' about 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice': 'The first one is such a classic'

Jenna Ortega is all set to play Astrid in the upcoming film "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," but she admits she was hesitant when she first read the script.

The actress, known for her titular role in "Wednesday," directed also by Burton, said in an interview that her casting was quite unexpected.

"Tim wanted to meet with me and we had been meeting and discussing the second season of 'Wednesday' for a while," she said. "So, when he asked to meet with him again, I thought that we were discussing that. I had this notebook with pages of ideas that I had for the second season."

"And then he just kind of gave me the 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' script and we went from there. He said, 'If you’re interested, you’re interested. If you’re not, no worries. Don’t worry about it,'" she added.

Ortega said that she found the script "really, really funny," but she remembered "being hesitant."

"The first one is such a classic. You don’t want to ruin anything or mess things up," she said.

"But with the original cast coming back, and Tim, obviously… He was really, really passionate about it. It’s something that he’s wanted to do for years. And with the experiences I had on the set, I feel really, really good about it," she added.

She said that the original film was "such a recurring presence" in a lot of children's lives, including her own.

"I was scared of everything when I was younger, and I would have recurring nightmares of Beetlejuice, where he would show up, you know? I had bunk beds at the time and he would swing down and offer me grape juice," she said.

As for working with Burton again, Ortega only has good words.

"He just trusts you, whoever he casts. You’re allowed to make awful decisions and you’re allowed to make funny decisions—he just kind of encourages you to do what you want, but he always guides you in the right direction. He’s very obviously excited and I feel he’s been really, really, especially creative this time around," she said.

"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" is the sequel to Burton's iconic 1988 film "Beetlejuice." It also stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara

It is scheduled to open in Philippine cinemas on September 4. —JCB, GMA Integrated News