Jenna Ortega had no idea what the film adaptation of Klara and the Sun would look like until she got to set.
In Taika Waititi’s dystopian science fiction film, an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel of the same name, the Wednesday actress plays a solar-powered Artificial Friend android who is bought to keep a sick girl company.
When asked what the hardest part of the project was, Jenna told Esquire she had no idea what the film would look like until she got to the set.
“I think when you speak of these sci-fi realms and worlds and you’re working with an auteur like Taika Waititi, you can assume and you can guess but… So, it wasn’t until you got onto the set and were really immersed in the world that you had an understanding,” she said. “It was definitely the most: ‘Oooh, OK, what am I stepping into here?'”
The 23-year-old explained that she was drawn to playing Klara because she’s so different from the cynical, moody characters she’s known for playing in Wednesday, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and two Scream films.
“It was very exciting for me to play this naive, hopeful, optimistic character who’s very different than the characters that I’ve been playing recently,” she gushed.
“One of my favourite things about the book and what makes Klara so special is because she’s written as a back-of-the-store robot. She’s an old model. She’s not a standout Artificial Friend. Or so you think,” Jenna explained.
The former child star added that Klara and the Sun is part of an “experimental phase” in which she’s exploring different characters and projects.
“I’ve seen some things now. I’ve tried some things. Now it’s important to me to be focused on stories and characters that I feel truly connected to,” Jenna Ortega mentioned of the roles she will play.
Klara and the Sun, also starring Amy Adams and Mia Tharia, will be released in cinemas on October 23.
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