Actor Jenna Ortega discusses the chilling challenge of suppressing laughter during filming of a morbid unicorn production
** title: Death of a Unicorn: Behind the Scenes with Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd**
Context: In this lively, candid, and entertaining Q&A moderated by io9, the cast of the upcoming dark modern fantasy comedy, Death of a Unicorn, discuss their experiences working on the film.
Base Article:
io9 recently attended a special screening of A24's Death of a Unicorn starring Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) and every-bloody-awesome-Paul-Rudd (Avengers: Endgame); they play a daughter and her father who accidentally run over a unicorn. With the film's director Alex Scharfman leading the discussion, Ortega and other members of the fantastic ensemble share their insights into this art-house take on the absurdity of exploiting a supernatural creature.
In the film, Ortega's character, Ridley, is the moral compass and audience's avatar, forging a bond with the unicorn they unintentionally devastate. The actress revealed the challenge of keeping a straight face during some truly outrageous moments, mentioning a particular scene involving character Anthony Carrigan.
"I mean this in the kindest way possible: I couldn't trust anyone on this set. I couldn't make eye contact with anybody. I didn't want to look at certain people." she shared with the audience, describing her inability to look at Carrigan during filming. "There's a bit where he walks by, and he's talking about, 'this isn't the best use of time'-walking by using a clock as a barrier. And there's not one take where I look in that direction."
Ortega's emotional investment in the role was evident, as she described her efforts to embody Ridley's distress and frustration. "I was supposed to be, like, on the verge of tears. It was brutal. It was talking to brick wall after brick wall after brick wall. Like, every day, it was just, like, more and more intense, like, more of a throat vein or a forehead vein trying to express to people why this was wrong. Yeah, it was terrible."
Ortega also fondly remembered her collaboration with Rudd to bring their characters' father-daughter dynamic to life on screen. "Working with Paul, obviously, I was such a fan of his work previously, but also just such a sweet, normal, kind man. He was fucking hell. [He's not here so] I can acknowledge the fact that he's a dick."
Despite Rudd's devilish behavior on set, the actors' chemistry was palpable, making the audience eager for their interactions in the film.
Get ready to witness the unforgettable Death of a Unicorn in theaters on March 28th.
Enrichment Data:
- Overall: ## Plot of "Death of a Unicorn" Death of a Unicorn is a 2025 American comedy horror film directed by Alex Scharfman, starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega. The movie follows a father-daughter duo, who accidentally hit a unicorn while en route to meet a wealthy pharmaceutical executive and his family. After discovering the unicorn's body, the Leopolds seek to exploit its supernatural healing powers, leading to a series of violent confrontations with the unicorn's supernatural parents.
- Behind-the-Scenes Dynamics:
- Casting and Production: The film was announced in May 2023, with Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd as the leads. Additional cast members, including Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, Will Poulter, and Anthony Carrigan, were added in November 2023. Filming began in Hungary in July 2023, allowing the production to continue despite the SAG-AFTRA strike as A24 is not part of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
- Music and Soundtrack: Initially, John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies were set to compose the score, but Dan Romer and Giosuè Greco ultimately took over these duties. The film's soundtrack includes a song by St. Vincent titled "DOA," released on March 28, 2025.
- Premiere and Release: Death of a Unicorn premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Festival on March 8, 2025, and was theatrically released in the United States by A24 on March 28, 2025.
- Reception: The film has received mixed reviews, with critics lauding Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega's performances but criticizing its inconsistent tone and failure to deliver on its satirical ambitions. Death of a Unicorn holds a 59% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a Metacritic score of 55 out of 100.
- The featured cast of death-defying movie Death of a Unicorn, including Jenna Ortega from Wednesday, and Paul Rudd known for Avengers: Endgame, shared their experiences during a candid conversation about the film moderated by io9.
- Technology played a role in the music and soundtrack of Death of a Unicorn, with Dan Romer and Giosuè Greco ultimately taking over the score duties from the initial composers John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies.
- The upcoming dark modern fantasy comedy Death of a Unicorn is set in the future, offering audiences a glimpse into the strange and absurd possibilities of the future with its art-house take on the exploitation of supernatural creatures.
- Moviegoers may remember unforgettable moments from Death of a Unicorn starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, particularly the emotional investment of Jenna Ortega's character Ridley, as she shared her difficulties embodying Ridley's emotional turmoil, describing it as a 'brutal' experience reminiscent of talking to a proverbial brick wall.
