Jenna Ortega thought she had a childhood crush on former US President Barack Obama - until she later realised she wanted his job.

The 64-year-old politician was inaugurated in January 2009, and the Obama administration fuelled a six-year-old Jenna's desire to follow in Barack's footsteps, long before she became a successful actress.

Appearing on the latest episode of the Big Bro with Kid Cudi podcast, the Wednesday star, 23, revealed: "When I was younger, I wanted to do everything, and I thought I was going to do everything.

"When I was six, I was really into politics, and Obama got inaugurated."

Jenna even reached out to democrat Barack - who was re-elected in November 2012 for his second term from 2013 until 2017, when he was replaced as president by 79-year-old republican Donald Trump.

She continued: "I would write him letters, 'Hey! Love your work. Can I come to the White House.' And he never responded."

As a youngster, Jenna always thought she fancied Barack - but later learned she just wanted to be President of the United States.

The Scream VI cast member admitted: "I used to think it was a crush of some sort, but I just wanted his job. I wanted to go to the White House to get an understanding of OK, the Oval Office is going to be my space. I need to familiarise myself with codes and whatnot.

"Yeah, he never responded to me."

Barack's radio silence motivated the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice entertainer to find another way to reach the former president - 72-year-old media mogul Oprah Winfrey.

Jenna said: "I started writing to Oprah because I saw a photo of them together in a magazine, and I was like, 'Hey Oprah, I know you know Obama. He's not getting back to me.'"

With her dreams of being president not working out, Jenna turned her focus to becoming an astronaut.

But the Iron Man 3 alum soon realised that it "seemed really difficult and long run" and decided to pursue acting.

Jenna found success as an actress, and some of her early notable roles included Richie Rich (Darcy), Jane the Virgin (Young Jane) and Stuck in the Middle (Harley Diaz).

But the star almost "called it quits" in acting before landing her role as Ellie Alves in the second season of the Netflix thriller, You.

Jenna said: "I didn't know what else I was gonna do. I've never really considered anything else, more so recently, just out of sake of curiosity and wanting another life experience.

"But when I was a teenager, I'd gotten off a children's show, and I didn't know what I was going to do. I had to prove myself and meet all these new casting directors who didn't know who I was.

"It just felt like a good time to call it quits if I was going to. I was starting high school, and 'it was a good run' sort of thing."

Jenna got as far as spending "a few months" chatting about the situation with her team, but You was enough to change her mind.

She recalled: "We had talked about it for a few months with my team.

"And then, I think I booked that show You, and then I went on that set, and I loved it and had the best time. I thought, 'Yeah, there's no way I could let this go.'"