“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” breakout star Jenna Ortega is adamantly against seeing the lead male character in Bond films or movies such as “Edward Scissorhands” gender-flipped into a woman.
“BeetleJuice Beetlejuice,” the sequel to 1988’s “Beetlejuice,” opened in theaters nationwide last week.
The “Wednesday” and “Scream” actress was responding to a question about whether she would consider portraying Edith Scissorhands in a remake of the 1990 box office hit if director Tim Burton requested her.
Instead, the 21-year-old called for more female-led franchises and original characters.
“I don’t want to see like Jamie Bond,” she said. “Definitely leave it, and also the beauty of something like Edward is the mystery. I think it’s very sensitive.”
Burton directed “Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands,” and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
The 007 secret agent in the “James Bond” film was originally earmarked for Oscar-winning actress Susan Hayward, according to “The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia” author Steven Jay Rubin.
The late Sean Connery was ultimately cast in the first James Bond movie “Dr. No” in 1962 and six sequels.
“James Bond” franchise producer Barbara Broccoli told the Hollywood Reporter three years ago that agent 007 will remain a man. However, a new actor is slated to play Bond since Daniel Craig’s last rendition “No Time to Die” in 2021.
Iola Nguyen, an award-winning writer, director, and entrepreneur, sympathizes with Ortega and Broccoli’s point of view and believes real empowerment comes from creating new, original female characters, which allows women to shine without being compared to male characters.
She added that women deserve better than just playing female versions of male roles.
“These remakes can sometimes feel like they’re just trying to tick a box for diversity without giving real representation,” Nguyen told The Epoch Times. “Turning male characters into female ones keeps women in roles that weren’t made for them, as if women can only follow what men have already done.”
In “BeetleJuice Beetlejuice,” Ortega portrays teenager Astrid Deetz, who is coming of age during a time when her wealthy grandfather suddenly dies, and her mother, Lydia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder, is about to be remarried to television producer Rory, played by Justin Theroux.
The mother and daughter land in the afterlife after Ortega’s character accidentally summons a demon who is vying to take her life. In the process, the mother faces a choice of whether to marry the lead character Beetlejuice, who’s been deceased 600 years, in order to return her daughter to the living.
“Beetlejuice can still somewhat be original because he exists in no specific time,” Ortega said. “You could take him back to the 1800s if you really wanted to. He really can make an anthology regardless.”
Beetlejuice is played by Michael Keaton. Other actors include Willem Dafoe as Wolf Jackson and Danny DeVito as a janitor.
