Debate ignites over age gap in controversial new Ortega movie
She is 21 years old, her film partner—52. Netizens have sharply criticized the film, which tells the story of a romance between a student and a teacher. Some have written that it is a disgusting film. Jenna Ortega responds.
"The Miller Girl" tells the story of the obsession that develops between the young writer Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega) and her teacher Jonathan Miller (Martin Freeman). The story is controversial due to the significant age difference between the characters, and therefore the actors. The film has caused quite a stir online, to the point that Ortega had to speak out on the matter.
Scandal around the film with Ortega
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Jenna Ortega, who plays the 18-year-old student Cairo Sweet, defends the film's content, saying, "It doesn't always have to be comfortable." She points to a fairly obvious issue—some films challenge social norms, addressing difficult topics, including those that are extremely controversial and do not end happily.
Martin Freeman, who plays the teacher Jonathan Miller, also responded to the negative reactions, comparing the film's subject matter to other heavy but important social issues.
Ortega is 21 years old, and Freeman is 52. On platform X, users expressed disgust and criticized the inappropriate portrayal of human relationships. "Such stories should not be romanticized. It is disgusting," such comments abound.
Nevertheless, intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona confirmed that Jenna Ortega felt comfortable on set, and the intimate scenes were handled with care for the actors' boundaries and comfort. The industry criticized her statements. The Screen Actors Guild commented on them, noting that intimacy coordinators should keep confidentiality and not speak about actors' experiences, especially when performing very sensitive scenes.
"The Miller Girl" did not achieve commercial success. It grossed less than $1.2 million CAD on a $5.4 million CAD budget. The reception from critics and audiences was also unfavourable, with ratings of 29 percent and 42 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the largest international portal where reviews are aggregated and viewer ratings are collected.
Jade Halley Bartlett directed the film. As the creators point out, this story sheds light on difficult and often taboo subjects and exposes them to criticism.
