Quick summary
- Inde Navarrette told ELLE that strangers now yell “Nikki”, her character’s name in the horror hit Obsession, when she walks outside.
- Obsession has earned more than $500 million worldwide on a budget under $1 million, according to Complex.
- Focus Features is reportedly pushing for a Best Actress nomination at the 2027 Oscars.
- Navarrette will play Rogue in Marvel’s X-Men reboot, due in cinemas on 5 May 2028.
- New photos of her with pale blonde hair have fans debating whether the look is linked to the role. She has not said.
Inde Navarrette has gone from supporting player to a face people recognise in the street. In an interview published this week, the 25-year-old Obsession star said fans now call out “Nikki” when they spot her, a sign of how far the low-budget horror film has travelled since it opened on 15 May.
Inde Navarrette, Obsession and the “Nikki” effect
“When I go outside now, people yell ‘Nikki,'” she told ELLE. “It’s almost like they’re yelling ‘Inde.’ It doesn’t help that both names end in a similar sound.” She said she is glad the character is being recognised. “It’s a dream for Nikki to feel understood,” she said.
The numbers explain the attention. Complex reports that director Curry Barker, a YouTuber who was 26 when he made the film, spent less than $1 million on Obsession. It has since passed $500 million worldwide. The Playlist puts the figure at $525 million, which would be more than 500 times the reported budget.
Nikki’s sad, furrowed frown became a viral meme and then a Halloween costume. ELLE says the expression now sits in horror history alongside Jason Voorhees’ mask and Ghostface. The magazine also notes that Navarrette hosted Saturday Night Live on the Halloween episode, part of a run of appearances that followed the film’s success.
From supporting roles to the lead
Before Obsession, Navarrette had played supporting parts in 13 Reasons Why, Superman & Lois and the thriller Trap House, but never a lead, according to both ELLE and Complex. Born Danielle Fabiola Navarrette in Tucson, Arizona, to a family of mixed Mexican and Australian ancestry, she got the nickname “Inde” from her mother for her independent streak.
She described a turning point at 24. “I started looking at life differently, because I wasn’t where I wanted to be,” she told ELLE. She wanted a piece of work that showed she was capable of more than audiences had seen. On set, she said, she decided she was “not coming here to make friends”, and it was the first job where she walked in solely as an actor and left as one.
Her own relationship with the genre is less comfortable. ELLE reports she was “super scared” of horror films as a child, and that a scary movie on TV still makes her panic. When she first read the script she saw a story about a woman being robbed of her agency and sense of self, rather than a straightforward horror.
Oscar talk for a horror film
The Playlist describes Obsession as a genuine contender for Best Picture and Best Actress, and asked her about the buzz. Her answer was relaxed: if it does not happen, it does not happen, but if it does, she expects to be screaming. The outlet also lists her among its Best Actress predictions.
Fashion Times UK says Focus Features has launched an awards campaign for her performance, while Complex says the studio is reportedly pushing for the 2027 Oscars nomination. Neither report is a confirmation of a nomination, and no nominations have been announced.
Rogue, and the blonde hair
Marvel announced Navarrette as Rogue at its D23 event in August, according to Fashion Times UK. Speaking to ELLE about the character, she said Rogue’s mind “must be fascinating, because she is starved of human touch”, adding that she would “personally die” if she could not hug her friends and family. Yahoo, summarising the interview, notes that Rogue absorbs life force and memories through touch, and that Anna Paquin played the character in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men films.
Yahoo lists the reported cast as Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Scott Summers, Christopher Abbott as Professor Xavier, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost and Adam Driver as the villain Mister Sinister. Ben Wang is reportedly in talks to play Iceman.
The new hair has drawn more comment than the casting. Photos shared by Universal Studios Hollywood show Navarrette with pale blonde hair and lighter eyebrows during a visit where she posed beside an Optimus Prime figure. Fashion Times UK says reaction was split, with many fans preferring her as a brunette. Some wondered whether it was for Rogue, but others noted the character is a dark brunette in the comics, known for a white streak. Navarrette has not said whether the change is for a role or personal choice.
What happens next
The untitled X-Men film opens on 5 May 2028, so details about Rogue are likely to stay thin for some time. Navarrette told reporters in October only that there is “so much to her” and that she “can’t wait to get it started”, Fashion Times UK reports. In the meantime, the awards season campaign for Obsession will decide whether the Oscar talk turns into nominations. For more on the stars and releases shaping the year, see our Movies and Celebrities coverage on Modus Carry.
Frequently asked questions
Who does Inde Navarrette play in Obsession?
She plays Nikki, the co-worker and secret crush of a music store clerk named Bear. His wish that she love him above all others comes true in a disturbing way.
How much has Obsession earned?
Complex reports more than $500 million worldwide on a budget under $1 million. The Playlist cites $525 million.
Is Inde Navarrette playing Rogue in X-Men?
Yes. Marvel announced her casting at D23 in August, and the film is due in cinemas on 5 May 2028.
Did she dye her hair blonde for Rogue?
That is unknown. She has not said why she changed her look, and fans have pointed out that Rogue is a dark brunette in the comics.
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