Inde Navarrette on what's behind Obsession's creepy smile
Inde Navarrette's breakout as Nikki in Obsession hinges on a dual performance: Wish Nikki who believes her love is real, and Real Nikki trapped underneath. The actress says the film's creepy stillness was a deliberate choice to show fractured agency—helping a micro-budget thriller become a global box-office smash.
Key Takeaways
- Inde Navarrette plays Nikki in Curry Barker's Obsession, a psychological horror hit made for about $750,000 that has earned more than $400 million worldwide.
- She built Nikki as a "Rubik's cube," keeping Real Nikki visible in Wish Nikki's eyes so audiences never lose the character's trapped agency.
- A key creepy-smile moment—keeping Nikki's face unnervingly still after a dinner date—was Navarrette's creative choice about whether Nikki exists if Bear doesn't perceive her.
- The proudly out bisexual star is already drawing awards buzz and reports of talks for major studio projects after roles on Superman & Lois and 13 Reasons Why.
What is behind Inde Navarrette's creepy smile in Obsession?
In an interview with S Magazine, Navarrette explained that Obsession's dread rests on two Nikkis living at once. Wish Nikki must believe every devoted act is true and never feel manipulative; Real Nikki feels the horror underneath.
"You could always see Real Nikki in Wish Nikki's eyes," she said, adding that she played with how much of that trapped self the audience could spot. Early in the film, after a dinner date, she chose to hold Nikki's face completely still—an uncanny beat she framed as: if Bear doesn't perceive Nikki, does she exist?
Director Curry Barker asked her to practice the unhinged look at home. Navarrette said she tried for five seconds, freaked out, and admitted she lied about completing the homework—preferring to find the expression through on-set choreography.
Why does Inde Navarrette's Obsession performance matter now?
Nobody predicted the film's scale. Barker's first feature, produced for roughly $750,000, has surpassed $400 million globally—GO Magazine cites more than $429 million—and become one of the most profitable movies relative to budget in recent memory. Navarrette's co-lead turn opposite Michael Johnston's Bear is widely credited as the engine of that word-of-mouth surge.
For Celebrity Breaking News readers tracking Hollywood's next wave, the takeaway is clear: a low-budget wish-gone-wrong thriller has minted a new scream-queen force. Obsession is now available to buy or rent at home, with Blu-ray and DVD dated July 14.
What's next for Inde Navarrette after Obsession?
Navarrette previously starred as Sarah Cushing on Superman & Lois and Estela de la Cruz on 13 Reasons Why. While discussing the latter in a 2020 Seventeen interview, she came out as bisexual—something GO Magazine highlights as longstanding pride, not a new headline.
She says Obsession "bit" her with a taste for layered characters and wants to prove the film wasn't lightning in a bottle. Reports already link her to talks for Heat 2, an X-Men reboot, and an A24 project, while S Magazine notes Best Actress awards chatter. She has also floated admiration for directors like Christopher Nolan and Zoe Kravitz—if the script and art feel right.