Inde Navarrette Discusses 'Obsession' Success and 'X-Men' Role

Actress Inde Navarrette recently spoke about her burgeoning Hollywood career during an appearance on The Kyle Buchanan Show, touching on everything from her breakout horror hit Obsession to her upcoming role as Rogue in Marvel's highly anticipated X-Men reboot.

Reflecting on the massive box office success of Obsession, which pulled in $522 million globally on a budget of under $1 million, Navarrette shared her thoughts on why younger audiences are flocking back to movie theaters. According to a Fandango study, Gen Z currently stands as the most active moviegoing demographic, a trend the actress attributes to a growing appetite for genuine storytelling.

"I think Gen Z just wants to go to something that they don’t feel like they’re being sold," Navarrette explained during the interview. She elaborated that young viewers are fatigued by constant advertisements and product placements embedded within features. "We understand it’s fundamental, right? We grew up with commercials that are fun that we still quote... But we don’t want to be sold. We want original stories."

Navarrette emphasized that despite coming of age alongside modern technology, younger audiences still crave authentic human experiences and emotional resonance on the big screen. The enormous, word-of-mouth success of small-budget horror projects like Obsession and Kane Parsons' Backrooms underscores this shift toward fresh concepts and independent talent.

Looking ahead, Navarrette is preparing to step into a massive superhero franchise as Rogue in Marvel Studios' upcoming standalone X-Men film, directed by Jake Schreier and scheduled for a May 5, 2028 release. Speaking about the role, she expressed immense excitement for the character's signature Southern accent and the physical demands of the part, joking that it serves as a great motivation to hit the gym.

The actress also praised her fellow cast members, including Maya Boyd, who will portray Storm. Navarrette recalled the secrecy surrounding the D23 casting announcement in August 2026, where she shared the stage with major industry stars like Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Hayden Christensen.

During the podcast, Navarrette also addressed persistent rumors regarding the crime sequel Heat 2. Contrary to speculation that she turned down a part, she clarified that she was never formally offered a role, despite auditioning through multiple self-tapes over a grueling two-month period.

"I auditioned, I want to say, for two months from April all the way up until... it was just kind of no longer a conversation," she said. Despite missing out on the project, Navarrette maintained a positive perspective, noting that rejection is a normal hurdle regardless of how far an actor's career progresses.