AceShowbiz - Jenna Ortega's transformation from a fearful child to a celebrated actress known for her darker roles is nothing short of inspiring. The 21-year-old actress, best known for her portrayal in Netflix's "Wednesday," wasn't always a fan of the horror genre.

During her appearance on the "Today" show on August 19, she shared that she was once terrified of the original "Beetlejuice" movie and had a love-hate relationship with "Gremlins."

"I loved the Gremlins but I hated them at the same time," Ortega told Hoda Kotb. "So I was always very confused, but I think that I got older and I realized that excitement is the same as fear. So it's like, when I'm scared, I can just tell myself I'm excited."

Understanding that fear and excitement are two sides of the same coin has allowed Ortega to channel her emotions more constructively. "I just try to place it somewhere else because I hated being scared all the time," she explained. This mental shift paved the way for her to embrace roles that explore darker themes, much to the delight of her fans and family, who find her transformation amusing.

Ortega's next big leap into the dark and whimsical comes with the sequel "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," set to open the Venice Film Festival later this month and release in theaters on September 6.

Despite her childhood fear, Ortega experienced only "5 minutes of hesitation" before agreeing to join the project. She recounted how director Tim Burton, whom she previously worked with on "Wednesday," surprised her with the script.

"Tim kind of threw me off guard when he told me this," she said. "He gave me the script, I pulled over on the side of the road and just read it as soon as I possibly could." Within two hours, she had decided, "I can't tell you what this is about, but just know I'm doing another job with Tim."

Recounting her experience on set, she praised her co-stars. "To see Michael as Beetlejuice in person, it was unbelievable," she said, referring to Michael Keaton reprising his iconic role, along with Winona Ryder and new additions like Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe.

Catherine O'Hara, another returning actor, lauded Jenna, saying, "Love her. What a cool young woman. Wow." O'Hara reminisced about her enjoyable time filming both the original and the new "Beetlejuice" movies, acknowledging Burton's desire to recapture the original's magical vibe.

As Ortega boldly steps into roles that oscillate between excitement and fear, she sets an empowering example for young audiences. Her journey illustrates that confronting and embracing one's fears can lead to extraordinary opportunities and growth, both on and off the screen.