Jenna Ortega Nearly Fell While Filming Iron Man 3, Now Reveals Details Behind the Wheelchair

Jenna Ortega, the actress now known for the series Wednesday, has revealed a small but memorable incident from when she starred in Iron Man 3 in 2013. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she recounted how her dedication to playing a wheelchair-using character nearly made her fall on her way home from the shoot.

Ortega, who was nine years old at the time, played the granddaughter of Vice President Rodriguez (played by Miguel Ferrer), who has lost a leg. To get into the role, she chose to stay seated in the wheelchair all day, even during breaks between takes. That decision left her leg numb and nearly made her fall when she tried to get out of the wheelchair.

"I didn't want to move because I was so happy to be an actor and to play a character, so I just sat in the wheelchair all day. On the way home, I limped to the car," she said, as quoted by Entertainment Weekly. She described the sensation in her leg as spreading "TV static," which nearly made her fall flat on her face.

Despite the near mishap, Ortega said she was happy to experience filming a big movie. She had been eager to start an acting career since childhood, and Iron Man 3 was one of the first projects she auditioned for. "I was so happy to be in a film, I had been begging my mother for years before I was finally allowed to audition. It was one of the first things I went out for. I got it, and I was so happy," she recalled.

Ortega also realized how big the Marvel project was after joining, especially because her two older siblings, Isaac and Markus, knew Iron Man well. For her, being able to sit in the wheelchair and experience the atmosphere of the shoot firsthand was a joyful experience. "The fact that I got to sit there and experience that and really live in the takes was just so much fun," she said.

Taika Waititi, director of Klara and the Sun and also a Marvel star, joked that Iron Man 3 had caused permanent arterial damage in Ortega's leg. Ortega chimed in, "The leg has never been the same."

This story shows another side of the acting world: dedication to a role can carry physical consequences, even for child actors. Ortega, now 24, has grown into one of Hollywood's young stars with iconic roles. Her experience on Iron Man 3 is one of the interesting behind-the-scenes stories she has shared casually.

Looking ahead, the public awaits Ortega's work in future projects, including a possible return to the Marvel world or the horror genre that made her name. Will the bittersweet on-set experience influence how she chooses roles? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Ortega remains eager to keep acting.