Miller’s Girl viewers unsettled by sex scene between Martin Freeman, 52, and Jenna Ortega, 21

Star of Netflix’s hit series ‘Wednesday’ takes on a new role in the controversial film opposite ‘The Hobbit’ star

Jenna Ortega fans are reacting with shock to her performance in Miller’s Girl, opposite British actor Martin Freeman, with one scene in particular sparking debate.

The US actor rose to fame as Wednesday Addams in director Tim Burton’s hit teen Netflix series, Wednesday, inspired by the Nineties films which were in turn based on the original cartoons by Charles Addams.

Her latest role has been widely considered as something of a curveball by fans and critics. Miller’s Girl is a black comedy drama from writer-director Jade Halley Bartlett, in which Ortega stars as 18-year-old student Cairo Sweet, who lusts after her married English professor, Jonathan Miller (Freeman).

It was released on 26 January 2024 after premiering at Palm Springs Film Festival two weeks earlier.

In the film, Cairo and Jonathan enter into a complicated, inappropriate relationship following a creative writing assignment.

Much has been made of the film’s plot as well as the real age gap between the two leads: Ortega is 21, while Freeman is 52.

After watching the film, many of Ortega’s fans have expressed their discomfort about the casting and branded the film “gross”.

Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega in ‘Miller’s Girl' (Lionsgate Films)

Ortega’s fans have taken to social media to respond to the film, with one writing on X/Twitter: “Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman… I’m uncomfortable”.

Another added: “MARTIN FREEMAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO JENNA ORTEGA”

While a third wrote: “This Jenna Ortega/Martin Freeman film is so gross! So, so, so, so gross!”

Others were less concerned by the age gap than by Freeman, best known for his role as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s epic fantasy trilogy The Hobbit, being involved in a sex scene at all.

“I don’t like to think of Freeman having sex with anyone, let alone someone less than half his age. I imagine he is smooth inside his pants, like a Ken doll,” one viewer joked.

Can people watch Miller’s Girl in the UK?

The film is currently unavailable to anyone hoping to watch in the UK, but it is scheduled for release on Amazon Prime Video from 19 February.

Miller’s Girl is currently showing in US cinemas.

What else has Jenna Ortega acted in?

Ortega has had a busy schedule since her starring role in Netflix’s Addams Family spin-off Wednesday in 2022.

Jenna Ortega in ‘Wednesday’ (COURTESY OF NETFLIX)

The show was streamed for a total of 341.2 million hours in its first week, beating a record held by Stranger Things.

In an article about the show’s success, The Independent said that, despite Ortega’s strong lead performance, “it can’t escape certain trappings, namely the fact that it’s essentially Gen-Z Addams Family by way of Riverdale”.

Ortega was nominated for an Emmy for her performance. In doing so, she became the youngest Latina actor to be nominated for an Emmy in an acting category. She had previously been nominated for Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for the role.

Last year, she dropped out of her role in Scream VII, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts. She will soon be seen in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the much-anticipated Beetlejuice sequel, where she will be reunited with her Wednesday director Tim Burton.

The Warner Bros film is set to be released on 6 September 2024. Original stars Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton will reprise their roles as Lydia Deetz and Beetlejuice, respectively.

The follow-up to Burton’s 1988 cult classic has been long awaited by movie fans, who rejoiced at news that a sequel is finally on the way over three decades later.

Miller’s Girl is in US cinemas now. It is set to become available to watch on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from 19 February.