The Death of a Unicorn actress reflected on her remarkable career and her path to stardom, paying a heartfelt tribute to her late grandfather with a past in drag.
According to The Cut, Ortega’s grandfather would perform in drag at a club called Daddy Warbucks which used to be located near Palm Springs. He would use winnings from performances to support his family.
Her tells the magazine that her grandfather came out later in life and passed away from AIDS- related complications before Ortega was born.
Despite not getting to meet her grandfather, Ortega said she sees a bit of his spirit inside her. "I kind of have the same instincts that he does,” Ortega told the magazine, referencing his love for performing.
No doubt, his life inspired the Wednesday star to become an ambassador for UNAIDS, a United Nations effort to fight against the AIDS epidemic through advocacy, prevention, and providing access to treatment.
The Latino Commission on AIDS inducted the actress as the organization’s Youth Ambassador in 2018 at just 16 years old.
"I never got the opportunity to meet him. And I don’t want anybody else to have to go through that," she told Grumpy Magazine in 2018, per FandomWire.
"My mom has always told us how amazing you were," Ortega posted to social media in 2017, addressing her grandfather. "I’m sad we never got to you. You were very expressive and loved to entertain, so I feel like I have a bit of you in me."
The 22 year-old made a name for herself with an acclaimned filmography with a roots to telling queer stories–from starring as the titular character, Wednesday Addams (who is a canonical part of the LGBTQ+ community) to sharing the spotlight with Maddie Ziegler in the queer drama The Fallout.
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