Jenna Ortega Recalls Going All Day Without Food or Drink On Set When She Was Younger

Jenna Ortega is opening up about the intense pressure she put on herself as a young actress ... revealing she would sometimes go an entire day without eating or even asking for a drink of water while working on set.

The "Wednesday" star opened up about her experience as a child actor in a new interview with Esquire, explaining that she was so excited and grateful to be working that she felt she had to stay completely out of the way.

Jenna says she essentially kept her "game face" on at all times ... even when it meant ignoring basic needs, adding, "I wasn't asking for a sip of water," and explaining how she could go all day without eating or drinking because she desperately wanted to avoid becoming a burden to anyone on set.

The actress says her mindset came from wanting to prove herself and make the most of every opportunity ... but looking back, it's clear just how much pressure she was putting on herself at such a young age, and she said not looking after herself was a "mistake."

Jenna has since become one of Hollywood's biggest young stars ... but her latest comments offer a glimpse into what it was like navigating the industry as a kid.

The former Disney Channel star knew she wanted to be an actress by age 7 ... but when she floated the idea to her parents, they "laughed" it off -- only giving her even more motivation to chase her dream.