Jenna Ortega picks Nine Inch Nails and Deftones classics for her Scream character's 'theme song' and the best track for getting chased by Ghostface

Jenna Ortega, Ghostface from the Scream movies and Deftones' Chino Moreno
(Image credit: Getty)

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year or so, you're probably aware that Jenna Ortega is a big deal right now. Having already elevated her standing with horror fans thanks to her appearance as Tara Carpenter in the fifth Scream film early last year, her profile skyrocketed even further thanks to her outstanding turn as the title character in Tim Burton's Wednesday series. 

This month, Ortega returns in Scream VI, and recently revealed that the song she thinks would most perfectly fit a chase scene with Ghostface is none other than a hallmark nu metal anthem.

Asked in a new interview which track would best soundtrack a scene in which their characters are getting chased down by the iconic Scream franchise villain, Ortega's co-stars Melissa Barrera (who plays Sam Carpenter), Jasmin Savoy-Brown (Mindy Meeks-Martin) and Mason Gooding (Chad Meeks-Martin) all suggest more traditionally dramatic options, picking classical compositions ("like a Mozart or a Beethoven", as Savoy-Brown puts it).

Ortega, however, goes for a far cooler pick. "It's kind of a basic one," she suggests. "But it also goes along with this movie: Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away), the Deftones song. I feel like, they're just trying to get away, that could be an interesting one, too." 

Later on in the interview, Ortega reveals that if her character Tara had her own theme song, it'd be The Way Out Is Through by Nine Inch Nails, or She's Leaving Home by The Beatles. Needless to say, the 20-year-old Hollywood star seems to have pretty kickass taste when it comes to music.

Watch the interview below.

Earlier this month, Ortega also revealed she's a big fan of legendary EDM duo Daft Punk and the one and only Nick Cave. She told NME: "I listen to a lot of Discovery by Daft Punk or Homework by Daft Punk. [Those two albums] have been heavy on my playlist recently. I don’t know why. I think I’m re-going through my Daft Punk phase...the director, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Mason [Gooding; Chad in Scream VI], and I love Nick Cave. We have a collective playlist where we throw a bunch of stuff… and a couple of the songs that are in the movie now are songs that Matt and I were putting on that playlist. We put so much of Nick Cave’s stuff on there.”

Scream VI is in cinemas now.

Merlin Alderslade
Executive Editor, Louder

Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.