Key Takeaways

Jenna Ortega said Disney Channel media trainers taught her to treat every fan encounter as a once-in-a-lifetime moment, a lesson that made setting personal boundaries difficult.

Ortega said she now declines photo requests when she feels unsafe or uncomfortable, particularly with unfamiliar adult men, while still making time for younger fans.

The 24-year-old actor said fan interactions can range from sweet to aggressive or mean, so she is learning to give herself grace and “do what I can.”

Jenna Ortega is unlearning a lesson she picked up as a teenage actor: that every stranger who approaches her deserves the performance of a lifetime.

Speaking with host Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Ortega recalled the instruction she received during her Disney Channel years, when media trainers told her how to think about fans who recognized her.

"Every time someone meets you, it's probably the only time they're ever going to interact with you, like that's a very special moment in…