Scream Queen Jenna Ortega, who has built a reputation for challenging some well-established rules of classic horror films, is set to tear down another frontier of the genre: whiteness. The Wednesday actor was invited by Taylor Russell herself, of Bones And All fame, to star in the remake of 90s cult classic Single White Female.

The announcement sparked both excitement and confusion on social media, with many netizens noting that neither of the film’s leads are white. Yet, it’s probably safe to assume that the casting choice was entirely intentional. Both of these leading ladies have taken on roles in horror flicks that reenvisioned the genre, abandoning stereotypes and adding greater nuance to clichéd narratives. And now, they’re set to do it once again—this time with a fresh take on a beloved cult classic.

Taylor Russell has followed Jenna Ortega!

Single White Female is happening!! pic.twitter.com/5hCXoJYZcG

— Jerome! 🐈‍⬛ (@JeromeM94Movies) March 21, 2025

jenna & taylor are in talks to star in ‘SINGLE WHITE FEMALE’ reboot. this is so exciting 😭<3 pic.twitter.com/Vjt2qqF1bX

— s (@onlytayrussell) March 14, 2025

Jenna Ortega and Taylor Russell are in talks to star in a reboot of ‘SINGLE WHITE FEMALE’.

(via The InSneider) pic.twitter.com/hR2uoEvds9

— One Take 🎬 (@OneTakeNews) March 14, 2025

In the original movie, Alison Jones puts up an ad for a ‘single, white, female’ to share her Upper West Side apartment with, after a devastating split from her fiancé Sam.

When she welcomes her new roommate Hedra Carlson, the two quickly form a connection that turns into a disturbing obsession for Hedra. The new resident tries to morph into a version of Alison and aspires to keep her new roomie all to herself. This desire even drives a violent attempt to get her old fiancé, Sam, out of the picture.

The horror drama is widely recognised as a 90s staple that already earned itself a sequel and inspired many flickers in its vein, for instance, 2011’s The Roommate starring Gossip Girl alum Leighton Meester.

Now, enter Ortega and Russell, who are set to not only star in this new adaptation but also produce it.

Yet, most netizens seemed stuck on a minor detail regarding the reboot:

this is the premise of single white female (1992) …. if we get homopsychotic jenna ortega i actually will not survive

… neither her or taylor are white though so i have my doubts lol pic.twitter.com/aaGG2JeD6X

— cara mia (@ennajortega) March 14, 2025

“Single White Female”
Neither actress is white pic.twitter.com/bRjSpAbgZh

— Copa Turbo Roundhouse (@CopaExMachina) March 14, 2025

single white female remake when neither lead is white https://t.co/kSjnw1P9GQ

— s 🐌 (@livaldovinos) March 14, 2025

It’s the POC washing of art and history in general.

— Bob Johnson (@realBob_Johnson) March 15, 2025

“But she’s not…” one tweet read. “Um, who’s playing the white girl?” another X, formerly Twitter, user questioned. “SINGLE LATINA NON-BINARY doesn’t have the same ring to it,” someone else argued.

“I won’t watch it,” an additional user declared. “It’s the POC washing of art and history in general,” a tweet by Bob Johnson proclaimed. “Off-white,” a further tweet mused.

And another highly confusing statement read: “That’s a bit racist, Hispanics playing white people,” especially considering that Russell isn’t Hispanic but Black.

Most of these provocative thoughts were shared under an article (or maybe hit piece) by the DailyMail titled 90s thriller classic Single White Female is being remade, but something is missing…’

Others claimed that they were satisfied with The Roommate as the modern update to the classic and didn’t recognise a need for the sequel.

To be fair they already did a single white female remake with Leighton Meester and Minka Kelly and it was iconic…I know yall remember, don’t play with me.

— aj (@eden_nicbritel) March 14, 2025

It should be noted that the success of the original was grounded in its ability to bend and play with the conventions of the horror genre. Single White Female is frequently dismissed as “just another psycho stalker movie”, and while it is certainly flawed, it contained many psychosexual and sardonic layers that were atypical for films of its time, especially the ones featuring female leads.

So who better to emulate and heighten this sense of uncanny drama than two actors who have strong reputations for giving sure-footed performances in the middle of violence and gore, effortlessly pulling beauty from the bizarre and finding depth in the darkest corners of storytelling?

Also, ‘single non-white female’ doesn’t have the worst ring to it.