Kenny Ortega

At 74 years old, Kenny Ortega has this physical status:

Kenneth John Ortega (born April 18, 1950) is an American producer, stage director, and choreographer.

He produced the films Newsies (1992), Hocus Pocus (1993), and The High School Musical Trilogy (2005–2019), Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009) and the Descendants trilogy (2015–2019).

Ortega has choreographed films including St. Elmo's Fire (1985), Pretty in Pink (1986), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), and Dirty Dancing (1987).

He has also produced several concert tours, including tours for Cher, Gloria Estefan, and Michael Jackson.

Ortega was honoured on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019.

Early life

Ortega was born in Palo Alto, California, the son of Madeline, a waitress, and Octavio "Tibby" Ortega, a factory employee. Marcela Ortega, his sister, also has a brother. Both of his parents were born in Palo Alto, but his paternal grandparents were Spanish immigrants. He attended Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California, where he served as a cheerleader and in the drama group.

Personal life

Ortega is gay, and in a 2014 interview with anti-bullying group Bystander Revolution, he said, "I'm very proud of the industry in which I work," referring to the recognition of people from various sexual orientations in show business.

Ortega was the first witness called on in the trial People vs. Murray vs. Michael Jackson about Michael Jackson's murder.

Ortega recalled being falsely arrested in his hotel room at the age of 21 after a chief of police planted narcotics in his hotel room, apparently furious by his appearance in a touring version of Hair. After probes were concluded, the charges were dismissed, and Ortega recalled the arrest report naming him as George Berger, the name of the character he played in the program.

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Career

Ortega began his acting career as an actor in Oliver's touring production. Hair, before delving into choreography and directing. Ortega was offered the leading role in a Jesus Christ Superstar production but after being seen on the dance floor in a club by members of the band, he turned down a position as a choreographer for The Tubes. Ortega performed with the band for ten years before being asked by Cher to choreograph a TV special and tour as well as KISS on their Dynasty Tour.

Ortega was hired as one of the choreographers on the film Xanadu in 1980, collaborating with Gene Kelly who taught him how choreographing for film was a passion. Ortega also acted as choreographer on several of John Hughes' films, including Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, as well as the 1987 film Dirty Dancing.

Ortega will choreograph several music videos, including "Material Girl" by Madonna, "She's a Beauty" by Billy Squier, "Rock Me Tonite" by Billy Squier, Physical by Olivia Newton-John, and "Mr. Roboto" by Styx.

He made his directorial debut in 1992 with the Disney musical Newsies, which was followed by Hocus Pocus in 1993. Both films failed at the box-office but have since gone on to attract a large following. Ortega was also a choreographer for To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar was born in 1995.

Michael Jackson produced and designed Jackson's Dangerous World Tour (1992–1993), HIStory World Tour (1996–1997), 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).

Ortega produced and choreographed two Disney Channel Original Movies, High School Musical, and The Cheetah Girls 2. Ortega will reprise as the producer and choreographer for High School Musical 2 in 2007 and the Senior Year in 2008.

Ortega began directing and choreographing the forthcoming Michael Jackson This Is It concert residency at The O2 Arena in London, which was listed as Jackson's last concerts in London in May 2009. Due to Jackson's sudden death in June 2009, the engagement was subsequently cancelled. Ortega will direct the Michael Jackson Public Memorial in Los Angeles, which was broadcast live on several television networks on July 7, 2009, with a television audience of 31 million in America and more than a billion worldwide.

He performed a version of Jackson's 1985 charity hit "We Are the World" at the This Is It concerts, with Jackson's backing singers on lead vocals and his dancers performing around them. This Is It, Michael Jackson's concert film, which was made from a rehearsal video taken at the Los Angeles Forum and the Staples Center's Center, was directed by Ortega. The film was released on October 28th of the same year.

He was supposed to direct the 2011 Footloose remake but he was forced to cancel in October 2009 due to budget and tone differences with Paraguar.

Ortega was also hired to produce a film version of the Broadway musical In the Heights of Universal's In the Heights of Ascension, but the studio canceled the project in 2011 due to budgetary and casting difficulties. Ortega would produce a new version of Dirty Dancing, which was later postponed, on August 9, 2011. Ortega's participation was not present in the 2017 TV remake.

Ortega judged on the 18th season of Dancing with the Stars, crashing in the semifinals on May 12, 2014.

Ortega produced and choreographed Descendants for the Disney Channel in 2015, a film based on legendary Disney Villains' children. Descendants 2 and Descendants 3 in 2017 will be back in the same role as its two sequels, Descendants 2 and Descendants 3 in 2019.

Ortega was named a Disney Legend at the 2019 D23 Expo in 2019, and was honoured as a celebrity on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He produced and produced the Netflix Original Series Julie and the Phantoms, which premiered on Netflix on September 10, 2020.

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