Jenna Ortega is exploring new territory. The actress, widely known for her role as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday and as Tara Carpenter in the Scream series, steps into the leading role in the drama Miller’s Girl. The film is set to debut on January 11th, 2024, at the Palm Springs Film Festival.
In the film’s teaser, Ortega’s character, Cairo Sweet, introduces herself to her instructor – the aforementioned Mr. Miller played by Martin Freeman. The trailer swiftly sets up an uncomfortable, flirtatious dynamic between teacher and student, accompanied by the fitting music; “Burn It Down” by Daughter.
Ortega’s intense gaze and her demeanor create a striking contrast between her bold portrayal of Wednesday and this character, who is an opponent engaged in a calculated game that the teacher cannot comprehend.
If anything, Miller’s Girl brings to mind Alicia Silverstone and Cary Elwes’ 1990s film The Crush and provides an opportunity for Ortega to fully display her acting prowess. This is evident in the transitions from sweetness to a cunning, calculating, and determined woman who is unyielding in her pursuit of what she desires at any cost.
The trailer ends with a trigger warning and a link to resources on what the trailer refers to as “the subject matter.” However, since the trailer and the resources are not very specific about the subject matter, one is left to ponder the nature of the warning beyond the unsettling aspect of a romantic relationship between a teacher and a student with a significant age difference.
Miller’s Girl has sparked immediate controversy among fans because some had access to the speculative script when it was on The Black List. In it, Ortega’s characterization has reportedly garnered mixed reactions. A character alleges against the teacher.for perpetrating rape, advancing the representation in Hollywood of the ‘pure educator’ and ‘manipulative student.’ This component was included in the previous script and has not been verified to be present in the revised edition.
just checked out the screenplay for Miller’s Girl… uncertain how many more stories portraying ‘malicious, crafty teenage girl invents a story about her teacher assaulting her for insignificant reasons’ I can withstand
— irina (@anisupremacy) December 13, 2023
Many also voiced worries that the troublesome student/teacher relationship would probably be idealized, as has been practiced before; a notable instance being Pretty Little Liars. This statement was issued before the trailer was released, with only the original promotional image accessible at that moment.
Additionally, some people observed that it is deliberate for audiences to be disturbed by the “unsettling” connection portrayed between Ortega and Freeman’s characters, affirming that such unease is fundamental to the film’s purpose. It is intended to provoke discomfort.
If you find this repulsive, then that is likely the entire core of the movie
— CapCorgi (@CapCorgiTTV) December 13, 2023
The movie “Miller’s Girl,” featuring Jenna Ortega, is set to premiere in theaters on January 26th, 2024.
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