Jenna Ortega and Catherine O’Hara open up about ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ dance scene: “We went for it”

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice stars Jenna Ortega and Catherine O’Hara have opened up about the film’s big dance scene.

The sequel to the 1988 film has just hit cinemas, and features a big song and dance scene at the end featuring their characters Astrid and Delia.

Opening up to NME about devising the moment, O’Hara explained that their moves were created by themselves, with the help of a choreographer.

“You were the inspiration behind the performance art aspect of it,” Ortega then said of her co-star. “I think it read on the page as a proper dance, and you sparked an idea.”

O’Hara elaborated: “I wanted the more… illogical to my mind… dance moves that kind of mean nothing in all modern… not all modern dance, modern dance is amazing.”

“We were in a tent right off set and we were like, ‘Oh it’s funny when you do that,’” Ortega recalled, O’Hara adding that her fellow star “laid down on the floor and did” a dramatic pose, and they “went for it”.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice follows three generations of the Deetz family as they return to Winter River, as Lydia’s (Winona Ryder) daughter Astrid accidentally opens up the portal to the Afterlife.

It also sees the return of Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse, while Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe join the ensemble alongside Ortega.

In NME‘s four-star review of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, we said the film is held together by director Tim Burton’s “wicked imagination” and is “filled with brilliantly ridiculous moments”.

“This film has its flaws, not least some unnecessary CGI sandworms that clash with the kitsch practical effects elsewhere, but its sense of fun never lets up. It’s silly, giddy and a little bit disgusting – just what we want from Beetlejuice.”