In the fast-paced world of Hollywood, where rumors can spread like wildfire, Jenna Ortega, the 21-year-old star of Wednesday and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, found herself at the center of a surprising gossip storm in 2023. The rumor? That she was in a romantic relationship with Johnny Depp, the 61-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean icon—a claim that sparked widespread speculation due to their 40-year age gap and shared connection to director Tim Burton. Ortega’s response, however, not only debunked the rumor but revealed a surprising twist that has left fans and media buzzing. This article delves into the origins of the rumor, Ortega’s candid reaction, and the broader implications of such gossip in the age of social media, as well as what her revelation tells us about her approach to fame and privacy as of April 2025.
The Rumor That Took the Internet by Storm
The rumor about Jenna Ortega and Johnny Depp dating first emerged in August 2023, when the celebrity gossip account DeuxMoi posted an anonymous tip claiming the two had been spotted on a date. DeuxMoi, which boasts over two million followers on Instagram, is known for sharing unverified celebrity gossip with a disclaimer that its content is not necessarily factual. Despite this, the tip gained traction, fueled by the actors’ shared history with Tim Burton. Ortega had recently collaborated with Burton on the Netflix series Wednesday and was filming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, where she plays the daughter of Winona Ryder’s character, Lydia Deetz. Depp, a longtime Burton collaborator with iconic roles in Edward Scissorhands and Sweeney Todd, was rumored to possibly appear in the Beetlejuice sequel, adding plausibility to the gossip.
The rumor was further amplified by the fact that Depp and Winona Ryder had a high-profile romance in the late 1980s and early 1990s, making the idea of Depp dating Ortega—who plays Ryder’s on-screen daughter—an awkward but intriguing narrative for gossip outlets. Social media platforms like X erupted with reactions, with some users speculating about a “Tim Burton matchmaking” scenario, while others found the 40-year age gap unsettling. The rumor quickly spiraled, with articles popping up that fabricated quotes attributed to Ortega, claiming she had confirmed the relationship—a claim she would later refute.
Ortega’s Bold and Hilarious Response
Jenna Ortega didn’t let the rumor linger for long. In a video interview with BuzzFeed on August 26, 2024, while promoting Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, she was asked about the “craziest rumor” she’d ever heard about herself. Her response was both bold and humorous, delivering a surprising revelation that caught everyone off guard. “Probably that I was in a serious relationship with Johnny Depp and I wanted everybody to leave us alone,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “It’s so insane to me. I never spoke on that. I never said anything like that. Articles really do just make up their own quotes, but I thought that that was pretty hilarious.”
What surprised fans most, however, was her blunt admission: “I don’t know that person.” Ortega revealed that she had never met Depp, professionally or personally, debunking not only the dating rumor but also any suggestion of a professional collaboration. She shared a lighthearted anecdote about her Death of a Unicorn co-star Richard E. Grant, who had jokingly asked her on set, “Oh, so you and Johnny?” to which she responded with laughter, “I don’t know that person.” Her candidness and humor—echoing a viral Keke Palmer meme where Palmer famously said, “I don’t know who this man is”—won over fans, with posts on X praising her for her savage yet classy clapback.
Depp’s team was equally swift in addressing the rumor. In a statement to NME in August 2023, a representative for the actor said, “Mr. Depp has no personal or professional relationship with Ms. Ortega whatsoever. He has never met her or spoken to her. He is not involved in any project with her, nor does he intend to be. He is appalled by these baseless and malicious rumors that are intended to harm his reputation and career.” The statement also clarified that Depp was not involved in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, putting an end to that speculation as well.
The Surprising Twist: Ortega’s Reflection on Privacy
What might surprise fans even more than Ortega’s denial is the insight her response provides into her approach to fame and privacy. In the same BuzzFeed interview, and in subsequent conversations, Ortega has been vocal about her desire to keep her personal life out of the public eye—a stance that contrasts with the often intrusive nature of celebrity gossip. In a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair, she stated, “I don’t plan on speaking about my love life publicly, because that’s mine. When you know too much about someone’s personal life, then you watch films and you can only see them [the celebrity side of them], there’s nothing worse.” This perspective sheds light on why the Depp rumor struck such a nerve—it wasn’t just the falsehood, but the invasion of her privacy that she found so “insane.”
Ortega’s revelation that she never addressed the rumor publicly until the BuzzFeed interview also debunked earlier reports that claimed she had posted a denial on Instagram Stories in 2023. Multiple outlets, including NME and the Daily Mail, had quoted a since-deleted post allegedly from Ortega saying, “This is so ridiculous I can’t even laugh. I have never met or worked with Johnny Depp in my life. Please stop spreading lies and leave us alone.” However, Ortega clarified in the BuzzFeed interview that she “never spoke on that,” suggesting that those quotes were fabricated by media outlets eager to capitalize on the rumor’s momentum. This twist highlights the dangers of unverified gossip in the digital age, where articles can create their own narratives, often at the expense of the truth.
The Broader Context: Depp’s Reputation and Media Scrutiny
The rumor about Ortega and Depp wasn’t an isolated incident—it reflects a pattern of media speculation surrounding Depp, particularly following his highly publicized defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard in 2022. The trial, which resulted in a jury finding Heard liable for defamation and awarding Depp $15 million in damages, polarized public opinion and left Depp’s reputation in a precarious state. Some fans on X speculated that Depp’s team might have planted the rumor to associate him with a young, popular star like Ortega, hoping to rehabilitate his image post-trial. One user commented, “I’m convinced his team and Dior are desperate for him to be associated with Tim Burton/a beautiful young starlet because who the fuck is curious about Johnny Depp in the context of Jenna Ortega?”
This theory, while unproven, points to the broader context of Depp’s career in 2023. After the trial, Depp focused on projects like performing with his band, Hollywood Vampires, and working on films such as Modi – Three Days on the Wing of Madness, which premiered at the 2024 San Sebastian Film Festival. His team’s swift denial of the Ortega rumor, calling it “baseless and malicious,” suggests a sensitivity to any narrative that could further damage his reputation, especially one involving a 40-year age gap that many found “gross” and inappropriate, given Ortega’s age and Depp’s status as a father to children older than her.
Ortega’s Rise and Focus on Her Craft
For Jenna Ortega, the rumor came at a time when she was cementing her status as one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars. By April 2025, she has solidified her place in the industry with roles in Wednesday, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and the upcoming Death of a Unicorn. Her collaboration with Tim Burton has been a significant part of her rise, but as she clarified, it never involved Depp. Ortega’s focus remains on her craft, as evidenced by her comments about the Beetlejuice sequel on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in August 2024, where she described the experience as “incredible” and expressed gratitude for joining the beloved franchise.
Ortega’s revelation that she “doesn’t know” Depp also underscores her commitment to maintaining boundaries between her professional and personal life. In a 2025 interview with The New York Times, she shared her discomfort with the invasive nature of fame, revealing that she left X after receiving AI-generated, fake pornographic photos of herself as a child. “I was a private person, and I prefer to be a private person,” she said on The Interview podcast, highlighting her struggle to navigate the public eye while preserving her sense of self. The Depp rumor, though “hilarious” to her in retrospect, was a stark reminder of how quickly false narratives can overshadow an actor’s work.
The Impact: A Lesson in Empathy and Media Responsibility
The incident has had a broader impact, sparking conversations about media responsibility and the harm caused by unverified gossip. The DeuxMoi rumor, while initially dismissed as speculative, gained traction because of the media’s willingness to publish fabricated quotes and sensationalize the story. Ortega’s clarification that she never made the alleged Instagram post denying the rumor highlights how articles can create their own narratives, often at the expense of the individuals involved. This raises questions about the ethics of celebrity gossip in the digital age, where clicks and views often take precedence over truth.
For fans, Ortega’s response was a masterclass in handling rumors with grace and humor. Her “I don’t know that person” quip became a viral moment, with users on X comparing it to Keke Palmer’s iconic dismissal of a rumored relationship, turning the incident into a memeable moment of empowerment. More importantly, it reminded the public to question the narratives they consume and to consider the human cost of such gossip. As one user on X wrote, “Jenna Ortega laughing at the Johnny Depp rumor is everything. She’s not here for the nonsense, and I respect that.”
A Surprising Insight into Ortega’s World
What Jenna Ortega revealed in her response to the Johnny Depp dating rumors might surprise you—not just because she debunked the gossip with humor, but because it offered a glimpse into her grounded approach to fame. As of April 2025, Ortega continues to rise as a star, focusing on her work with Tim Burton and upcoming projects like Wednesday Season 2, while fiercely guarding her privacy. Her revelation that she never met Depp, coupled with her admission that she never addressed the rumor until the BuzzFeed interview, exposes the media’s role in perpetuating false narratives and underscores her determination to rise above the noise.
The incident also serves as a reminder of the challenges young women in Hollywood face, often subjected to invasive rumors that overshadow their talent. Ortega’s ability to laugh off the “insane” rumor while setting the record straight reflects her maturity and resilience at just 21 years old. For Johnny Depp, the rumor was another chapter in his complex public journey, highlighting the scrutiny he faces post-trial and the media’s eagerness to link him with rising stars. Together, their story is a call for greater empathy and responsibility in how we consume and share celebrity gossip, proving that sometimes, the most surprising revelations are the ones that remind us to look beyond the headlines.
