Is Jenna Ortega in ‘You’ Season 5? Find Out if She Returned

You season 5 dropped on Netflix on April 24, 2025, and now that Joe Goldberg’s (Penn Badgley) story is coming to an end, fans are asking if one star is coming back: Jenna Ortega. The Wednesday actress has been a busy bee in recent years, and with scheduling conflicts, she wasn’t able to reprise her role as Ellie in You after season 2. But did that change for season 5?

Below, find out if Jenna returned to play Ellie in You season 5. (Warning: spoilers are ahead for season 5 of You) 

What Role Does Jenna Ortega Have in You?

Jenna was first introduced to You fans in season 2 of the series. She played the role of Ellie Alves, Delilah’s teen sister.

During a March 2022 interview with Complex, Jenna opened up about being cast in You and how, as a Latina actress, she felt people saw her “in a different light.”

“A lot of times being a child actor, especially a Latina, they’re hiring to play the daughter of someone or the younger version of someone and those are typically white actresses,” Jenna pointed out. “I remember just being really discouraged at a point in time. But after doing projects like You on Netflix and things like that where I think people saw me in an older light or in a different light, I started to get more opportunities.”

The Netflix actress added that a “big fear” for her is that she “never wanted to be pigeonholed.”

“I never want to be seen as one thing,” Jenna said. “So, if I can get my hands in as many bowls as I possibly can or have all of my projects not really resemble one another, that would be really, really, cool.”

Is Jenna Ortega in You Season 5?

No, Jenna did not return for season 5 of You. Series showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo told The Wrap in a statement that they tried to bring Jenna back for the final season, but they weren’t able to.

“It would have been great to get Jenna back,” Michael told the publication, before adding, “Unfortunately, we had issues there.”

You Season 5 Ending Explained

Joe Goldberg spends the rest of his time in prison during the last scene of You. In a voiceover, viewers hear him say, “So in the end, my punishment is even worse than I imagined. The loneliness, oh my god. The loneliness. No hope of being held. Knowing this is forever. It’s unfair. Putting all of this on me. Aren’t we all just products of our environment? Hurt people hurt people. I never stood a chance.”

While reading a fan letter behind bars, Joe’s voiceover then tells the audience, “Maybe we have a problem as a society. Maybe we should fix what’s broken in us. Maybe the problem isn’t me. Maybe it’s you.”

Aside from Joe’s fate, his wife, Kate (Charlotte Ritchie) was revealed to have survived the fire, and she’s chose to help Marienne’s career. Her brother, Teddy, for his part, reshaped Lockwood Corp into a nonprofit organization.