Jenna Ortega reveals her daily struggle with OCD, detailing exhausting rituals that disrupt her routine
Jenna Ortega is opening up about a deeply personal battle that affects her every day. The Wednesday star, 22, revealed that she suffers from “pretty intense” Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a condition that makes her daily routine challenging—especially with the unpredictable nature of her career.
During an interview with Paul Rudd on Heart Evening with Dev Griffin, Ortega explained how her OCD manifests in relentless rituals and repetitive behaviours that consume her nights.
Embed from Getty Images“It’s quite difficult because we’re always travelling for work and it’s always a new environment,” she shared. “Whatever the job is, you kind of have to create a new routine that you can only really stick to for six weeks.”
She admitted that her condition worsens when she’s tired, leaving her trapped in obsessive thoughts. At night, when most are winding down, Ortega finds herself overwhelmed by compulsions.
“I have pretty intense OCD, so that’s kind of my routine—repetitive thoughts, counting everything multiple times, and having to do the same action over and over,” she said.
She described one exhausting ritual: “Sometimes my nights consist of just being really exhausted and going up and down the stairs six times because that’s what I think I need to do to make sure no one breaks into my home.”
Despite the struggles, Ortega remains committed to her work. She revealed that she often forces herself to stay up late, reading scripts and answering emails, because it’s the only time she can be productive.
“I feel like I get more accomplished at night because in the morning, I really don’t want to flood my brain with too many things if I have work coming up,” she explained.
The actress’s openness about OCD sheds light on a disorder that affects millions worldwide. Her experience highlights the exhausting reality of living with compulsions, proving that even Hollywood stars aren’t immune to the burdens of mental health struggles.
As Ortega prepares for the release of Death of a Unicorn, she continues to balance her rising career with managing OCD—an ongoing challenge she’s learning to navigate, one step (or six) at a time.
