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Congrats on the third season of your Disney Channel show, Stuck in the Middle. How did you get involved? Jenna Ortega: "Thank you so much! I got involved with the show by going through a lot of auditions. I actually went through two rounds of auditions before I even booked the role of Harley, and after that I had to do chemistry reads with other potential cast members." How has your character evolved since Season One? Jenna Ortega: "My character in Season 1 started off feeling like she was overlooked in her family and was stuck in the craziness she calls her family. Now in Season 3, I feel like Harley's confidence has grown and she embraces her family and the chaos that comes with it." Your character Harley has a big family and she's the middle child. How is your family dynamic dif ferent or similar? Jenna Ortega: "Harley and I have a lot of similarities when it comes to our families, but she has me beat with one more sibling. We both are middle children, so I can totally relate to all of her struggles. Our schedules are very crazy and it's hard for both of us to find time to do the things that we want to do. We both have a playful relationship with our siblings and we both argue with our siblings a lot [laughs]. Harley is the engine of her family though, I think the engine in my family is my mom. I kind of take after her, but she's the boss in the house. I'd like to think Harley shares the 'boss' slot with her mom, Suzy." You worked on a project, Saving Flora this summer. How did you get involved and what messages are present that speak to you? Jenna Ortega: "I actually didn't even have to audition for Saving Flora, which was nice for a change. I loved the script and thought it would be fun to film, especially when your co- star is an elephant! One of the messages portrayed in Saving Flora is to never give up, which is something that I agree with and live by. All the trouble and sacrifice you go through pays off in the end, you just have to be patient enough." How was this different from your role on Disney Channel? Jenna Ortega: "My role on Disney Channel is high-energy, chaotic, and comedic. My Saving Flora role was dramatic and was emotionally draining at times due to a few of the scenes I had. I was more grounded in the film; everything was taken down a notch." You also have some experience with playing a love interest in Jacob's music video for "Chapstick" —can you see yourself doing more of this in the future? Jenna Ortega: "I definitely see myself doing more of this in the future. The video was a great place for me to start because in the next year or so, a lot of the roles I will be going out for will be love interest roles because I'm a teenager now. I've never played a role like that before, so it's good that casting directors can now see me in that light." Can you talk a little about being involved in your community and what charitable causes you devote your time to? Jenna Ortega: "I've held meet and greets to raise money for children with neuroblastoma in the Coachella Valley where I'm from. A charitable cause I devote my time to is UNAIDS. I'm an ambassador for girls my age who are being diagnosed with the disease. Girls from ages 15-25 are actually at the highest risk for contracting the disease, which many people don't know. My goal is to get as many people as possible educated on the disease, learn how to prevent it, and get rid of the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS." Any holiday plans? Jenna Ortega: "I think I'm planning to go to Utah for Thanksgiving and I'm gonna spend some time at home from Christmas. I've been traveling a lot this year, so it'll be nice to take a break and just be a normal kid. I'm looking forward to hanging out with my friends, watching movies with my family, and sleeping in my own bed!" What family traditions do you have and are you looking forward to? Jenna Ortega: "For Christmas, my family and I make tamales and Christmas cookies. Making tamales can take a while, so we make the best of the situation and use the time to tell stories and jokes. As far as the cookies go, we get really silly! I'm really just excited for the family time that comes with it. I love my family so much, just being around them puts me in a good mood." ML Keep up with Jenna on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook: @JennaOrtega.