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Kenny Ortega
please note:
- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
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{{short description|American filmmaker and choreographer}}{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2018}}- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
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Early life
Ortega was born in Palo Alto, California, the son of Madeline, a waitress, and Octavio "Tibby" Ortega, a factory worker. He also has a sister, Debra Ortega. Both of his parents were also born in Palo Alto,NEWS, Hartlaub, Peter,weblink Ortega directs 'High School Musical 3', San Francisco Chronicle, October 19, 2008, October 31, 2010, February 2, 2013,weblink" title="archive.today/20130202031437weblink">weblink live, though his paternal grandparents were Spanish immigrants.NEWS,weblink Kenny Ortega: The man behind every step of 'High School Musical 3', Lee, Hernández, October 23, 2008, Daily News, New York, November 3, 2009, August 26, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090826173700weblink">weblink live, He attended Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California, where he was a cheerleader and in the drama group.Career
{{BLP sources section|date=September 2022}}Ortega began his career as an actor, appearing in a touring production of Oliver! and Hair before venturing into choreography and directing. Ortega choreographed The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo in the mid to late 1970s. Ortega was offered the leading role in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, but turned the offer down to become a choreographer for the San Francisco-based band The Tubes after being spotted on the dance floor in a club by members of the band. Ortega toured with the band for ten years, before being contracted by Cher to choreograph a TV special and tour and by KISS on their Dynasty Tour.WEB, Setoodeh, Ramin, 2020-06-30, Director Kenny Ortega on the Queer Aesthetic of His Movies From 'Hocus Pocus' to 'High School Musical',weblink 2020-07-01, Variety, en, July 1, 2020,weblink live, WEB, Littleton, Cynthia, 2008-10-03, Kenny Ortega: From dancer to director,weblink 2020-07-01, Variety, en, July 1, 2020,weblink live, In 1980, Ortega was hired as one of the choreographers on the film Xanadu, working with Gene Kelly who mentored him into choreographing for film. During this time period, Ortega also served as choreographer for several of John Hughes's films, including Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, as well as the 1987 film Dirty Dancing.Ortega would also choreograph several music videos, including "Material Girl" by Madonna, "She's a Beauty" by The Tubes, Physical by Olivia Newton-John and "Mr. Roboto" by Styx. He also produced and choreographed the embarrassing "Rock Me Tonite" by Billy Squier which turned into a career-ending disaster for the artist.WEB, The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History,weblink rollingstone.com, November 28, 2022, June 29, 2023, May 29, 2023,weblink live, He made his directorial debut in 1992 with the Disney musical Newsies, which was followed up by Hocus Pocus in 1993. Both films underperformed at the box-office but have since gone on to attract considerable cult followings. Ortega also served as choreographer for To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar in 1995.Alongside Michael Jackson, he created and designed Jackson's Dangerous World Tour (1992â1993), HIStory World Tour (1996â1997) and Michael Jackson & Friends (1999). He has also choreographed events ranging from Super Bowl XXX, the 72nd Academy Awards, the 1996 Summer Olympics (Atlanta) and the 2002 Winter Olympics (Salt Lake City).WEB,weblink Kenny Ortega: Biography, June 15, 2009, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081218105120weblink">weblink December 18, 2008, In 2006, Ortega directed and choreographed two Disney Channel Original Movies, High School Musical and The Cheetah Girls 2. Ortega would return as director and choreographer for High School Musical 2 in 2007 and (High School Musical 3: Senior Year) in 2008.In May 2009, Ortega began work directing and choreographing the scheduled 50-date Michael Jackson This Is It concert residency at the O2 Arena, billed as Jackson's final concerts in London. The engagement was subsequently cancelled due to Jackson's sudden death in June 2009.NEWS,weblink Michael Jackson Gets Ready For Tour, Sky News, May 12, 2009, May 12, 2009, May 16, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090516205652weblink">weblink live, Ortega would serve as the director of the Michael Jackson Public Memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which was broadcast live on several networks on July 7, 2009, reaching a television audience of 31 million in America and more than one billion worldwide.At the end of the service, he introduced a rendition of Jackson's 1985 charity single "We Are the World" created for the This Is It concerts, featuring Jackson's backing singers on lead vocals with his dancers performing around them. Ortega directed the concert film Michael Jackson's This Is It, which was put together from rehearsal footage recorded at the Los Angeles Forum and the Staples Center. The film was released on October 28 of the same year.NEWS,weblink Michael Jackson's memorial 2nd most-watched funeral ever, after Princess Di, say Nielsen ratings, July 8, 2009, Daily News, New York, David, Hinckley, Richard, Huff, August 11, 2009, August 28, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090828131632weblink">weblink live, WEB, This Is It - Cast {{!, IMDbPro|url=https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt1477715/fullcredits|access-date=2020-07-01|website=pro.imdb.com|archive-date=July 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701111211weblink|url-status=live}}He was set to direct the 2011 Footloose remake, but dropped out in October 2009 due to differences with Paramount over the budget and tone of the film.WEB, Fleming, Michael,weblink Ortega exits Paramount's 'Footloose', Variety (magazine), Variety, October 25, 2009, March 6, 2018, May 18, 2018,weblink live, Ortega was also hired to direct a film adaptation of the Broadway musical In the Heights for Universal, but the studio dropped the project in 2011 due to budgetary and casting issues.WEB, Fleming, Mike Jr.,weblink Universal Dropping Musical 'In The Heights', March 28, 2011, March 6, 2018, Deadline Hollywood, February 22, 2018,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180222161822weblink">weblink live, On August 9, 2011, it was announced that Ortega would direct a remake of Dirty Dancing, a project that was later postponed. The 2017 TV remake was filmed without Ortega's involvement.NEWS, Jen, Chaney,weblink 'Dirty Dancing' the remake: Should it be pursued or put in a corner forever?, The Washington Post, August 8, 2011, January 9, 2016, March 5, 2016,weblink live, On May 12, 2014, Ortega guest-judged on the 18th season of Dancing with the Stars during the (Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 18)#Week 9: American Icons Night .28Semifinals.29|semifinals).In 2015, Ortega directed and choreographed Descendants for the Disney Channel, a film based on the children of legendary Disney Villains. He would return in the same capacity for its two sequels, Descendants 2 in 2017 and Descendants 3 in 2019.WEB, 2013-12-12, Disney Channel announces 'Descendants,' movie about the villains' kids,weblink 2020-07-01, Hypable, en-US, June 29, 2023,weblink live, In 2019, Ortega was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named a Disney Legend at the 2019 D23 Expo.WEB, 2019-05-16, Meet the 2019 Disney Legends to Be Honored at D23 Expo,weblink 2020-07-01, D23, en-US, June 11, 2020,weblink live, WEB, Friedlander, Whitney, 2019-07-24, 'Descendants' Director Kenny Ortega Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame,weblink 2020-07-01, Variety, en, July 25, 2020,weblink live, That fall, he directed and served as executive producer of the Netflix Original series Julie and the Phantoms, which premiered on Netflix on September 10, 2020.Personal life
Ortega is gay, and in a 2014 interview with anti-bullying organization Bystander Revolution, he said that "as a gay man having grown up in the 50s and 60s, I have to say, I'm very proud of the industry that I work in," referring to the acceptance of people with different sexual orientations in show business.WEB,weblink Kenny Ortega - As a Gay Man, IMDb, March 15, 2019, February 12, 2017,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170212201744weblink">weblink live, During the trial People v. Murray regarding the death of Michael Jackson, Ortega was the trial's first witness.In 2020, Ortega recalled being falsely arrested at the age of 21 after a chief of police planted narcotics in his hotel room, allegedly upset by his performance in a touring production of Hair. The charges were dropped after investigations were made, and Ortega recalled the arrest report identifying him as George Berger, the name of the character he played in the show.Filmography and concerts
Film{| class"wikitable sortable"
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Awards and nominations{| class"wikitable sortable"
! Year! Association! Category! Work / nominee! Result! class="unsortable"|Ref.References
{{reflist}}External links
- {{IBDB name}}
- {{IMDb name|650905}}
- Kenny Orgeta {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022212348weblink |date=October 22, 2012 }} at MVDbase.com
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- "Kenny Ortega" does not exist on GetWiki (yet)
- time: 3:30pm EDT - Wed, May 15 2024
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