When Jess Val Ortiz appears on your For You Page, you know you’re in for a performance. One moment she’s your over-caffeinated teacher, the next she’s Lin-Manuel Miranda — or, hilariously, both. Her videos are packed with theatrical timing, emotional precision, and the kind of campy, Broadway-coded humor that feels both niche and universal.
But behind the wigs, filters, and fast-cut comedy is an actress with a dream, dream, dream of dreams: to step onto a Broadway stage.
“The internet has kind of already made up their mind about who I am,” she tells Celeb Secrets, “but I’m here to tell you that I’m a creator, an actress, a musical-theater obsessor. It’s my dream to be on Broadway… that’s why I moved to New York City.”
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Jess’s journey didn’t start on TikTok — it started in the footlights. Growing up in Florida, she gravitated toward drama-heavy musicals like Miss Saigon and Oliver! before heading to Penn State for a BFA in Musical Theatre. When the pandemic hit during her senior year, the world went dark, but Jess found light in an unexpected place: her phone camera.
“Content creation became my creative outlet,” she says. “It was stressful graduating into uncertainty, but I was so excited about this new world of TikTok and YouTube. Five years later, that dream has come true.”
What began as a quarantine hobby became a masterclass in self-direction. Jess filmed, edited, and improvised her way through lockdown, experimenting with characters that fused her theater background with internet humor.
“I did a production of Legally Blonde in college and played Paulette — the Jennifer Coolidge role,” she recalls. “That was the first time I thought, ‘Wait, comedy could actually be something I pursue.’ I realized how fun it was to lean into the campy, satirical side of performance.”
That discovery would soon become her brand: hyper-specific, hilariously exaggerated sketches that made millions feel seen.
Whether she’s portraying an over-dramatic stage mom or an unhinged kindergarten teacher, Jess’s sketches are more than Internet bits, they’re reflections of real life.
“My mom is a huge character,” she admits. “Pretty much every mom skit I’ve ever done is something that actually happened. My siblings will text me like, ‘Oh my God, that’s literally Mom!’”
Her ability to turn familial chaos into comedic gold has helped her build an audience of more than 10 million followers across TikTok and Instagram. Yet, for Jess, it’s not just about views. It’s about connection.
“Whenever I don’t take myself too seriously, that’s when people connect the most,” she says. “But I also love showing different sides of me. I’ll post a singing video, and people get confused — like, ‘Wait, you can actually sing?’ That’s the side of me that feels the most creatively fulfilled.”
@jessvalortiz We appreciate how bold and blunt they are
Proudly calling herself a “Puerto Rican baddie,” Jess carries her heritage into everything she does.
“I always want to make my family proud,” she shares. “My grandfather was a professional actor and dancer… he sacrificed a lot to make his dreams come true. Whenever things get hard, I think about that. I keep my family in mind, because they’re who all this is for.”
That pride radiates online, inspiring a new generation of Latinx performers to embrace both their humor and their hustle. “If I ever get spotted on the street, it literally makes my whole day,” Jess smiles. “If someone says, ‘You inspire me,’ that’s the reason I do what I do. I want kids who feel like outcasts — or aspiring creators — to know they can make their dreams happen too.”
One of her own dreams recently came full circle when she met her idol, Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, at the show’s ten-year anniversary screening.
“I rarely get starstruck, but he came up to me and I could not form words,” she admits. “I told him how much he’s inspired me since In the Heights. It was such a full-circle moment for me as a performer.”
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For all the glamour of digital fame, Jess never lost sight of her first love: the stage. Earlier this year, she auditioned for her dream role — Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway.
“My agent emailed me with the self-tape, and I thought, ‘This is it. This could change my life.’” Though she didn’t land the part, the experience was transformative.
“I worked my ass off for that callback,” she says candidly. “When I didn’t move forward, I was really sad. But it made me realize: if I ever want that opportunity again, I have to work even harder. I’m never going to give up.”
That tenacity is what keeps Jess grounded in an industry built on both applause and rejection. “Rejection comes to everyone,” she says. “Even if you’re Ariana Grande, you still face it. But I’m thankful for my rejections… they make me work harder. You need that fire.”
She continues to train vocally, honing her skills for the day she finally steps into the spotlight. Until then, her apartment doubles as her stage, and occasionally, as a co-star set for her pets.
“If I did a one-woman Wicked, Rico would definitely be the lion cub and Penelope could be a flying monkey,” she jokes. “We’d make it work.”
@jessvalortiz more like interrogations #wicked
Jess Val Ortiz isn’t choosing between Broadway and the Internet — she’s bridging the two. With her comedic instinct, commanding vocals, and undeniable authenticity, she’s part of a new wave of digital creatives redefining what a modern performer looks like.
“I don’t ever want to stop creating,” she says. “My dream is to be on Broadway, but I also want to show that journey online. To live my dream and share it with the world.”
And as she likes to remind herself, and her millions of fans watching, there’s no expiration date on ambition.
“I can see it happening for me,” Jess says softly. “I’m not there yet, but I can see it. And I will not stop until I make that dream a reality.”
You can connect with Jess by giving her a follow on Instagram and TikTok at @jessvalortiz.
Interview quotes have been edited and condensed for clarity.
