It would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall when Jenna Ortega first heard the rumors that she was dating Johnny Depp.
It's nothing new really, as celebrities get matched up together all the time, largely it is because some fans think they would make a cute couple.
However, it was news to Ortega when the then 21-year-old actor found out that she was reportedly dating the then-60-year-old Depp.
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The rumor came to be when, last year, celebrity gossip account, Deuxmoi, shared an anonymous tip that had claimed the pair were spotted out on a date.
But just for context, it is important to note that Deuxmoi has never claimed any of its tips are in fact true, with their Instagram bio reading: “Some statements made on this account have not been independently confirmed. This account does not claim information published is based in fact."
Nonetheless, people ran with the rumors and a slew of articles began popping up on Ortega supposedly speaking out on their relationship.
In an interview with BuzzFeed while promoting her film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Ortega spoke out on the situation when asked what the craziest rumor she'd ever heard about herself was.
"Probably that I was in a serious relationship with Johnny Depp and I wanted everybody to 'leave us alone," the Wednesday star replied.
"It's so insane to me like I never spoke on that, I never said anything like that," she added. "Articles really do just make up their own quotes, but I thought that that was pretty hilarious."
"I was on set with [co-star] Richard E. Grant and he came up to me and he just said 'Oh so you and Johnny,' and I laughed because — I don't know that person," she continued.
Fans online seem to be loving Ortega's response, particularly commenting on her, 'I don't know that person,' remark.
One user on Twitter wrote: "She really said I've never heard of that man in my life," while another added: "She's so real but how sick and twisted does an individual even have to be to make that up."
"Now that's how [you] deny a dating rumor," a third user chimed in.
Similarly, Depp's representatives also denied the rumors, writing: “Mr. Depp has no personal or professional relationship with Ms. Ortega whatsoever. He has never met her or spoken to her.
“He is not involved in any project with her, nor does he intend to be. He is appalled by these baseless and malicious rumours that are intended to harm his reputation and career.”
Ortega has previously mentioned that she doesn't plan on ever addressing her love life publicly, explaining that she worries it would eclipse her work.
While speaking to Vanity Fair in a 2024 interview, the actress shared: "I don't plan on speaking about my love life publicly, because that's mine."
"When you know too much about someone's personal life, then you watch films and you can only see them [the celebrity side of them], there's nothing worse," she added.
Topics: Johnny Depp, Jenna Ortega, Celebrity
Gerrard Kaonga