Parker Finn is thrilled about casting the multi-talented Naomi Scott as the lead in the highly anticipated horror sequel, Smile 2. Known for her roles in Charlie’s Angels and Aladdin, Scott’s casting has left Finn in awe. “Naomi is a triple, quadruple, quintuple threat,” he says, emphasizing how “amazing” she is in this dark, psychological thriller.
In Smile 2, Scott steps into the role of Skye Riley, a global pop superstar on the verge of a new world tour. However, Riley’s life takes a sinister turn as she becomes plagued by eerie and unexplainable events. Battling personal demons, including the pressures of fame and her own traumatic past, Riley finds herself teetering on the edge of madness, forced to confront a mysterious curse.
For this emotionally demanding role, Finn needed someone who could capture the delicate balance between fame and fragility. Enter Naomi Scott.
Scott and Finn first met for what was supposed to be a brief meeting, but it turned into a three-hour conversation. “We couldn’t speak fast enough,” recalls Scott. “I had no idea that this movie had music involved but I could see that Parker was itching to tell me about it.” Once the filmmaker revealed that the movie he was working on was about a singer, Scott thought, “Well, this sounds like me!”
Skye’s character isn’t just about glitz and glamor. Beneath her pop star persona lies a young woman grappling with the aftermath of addiction and trauma. “We meet her and although she’s sober, she’s incredibly numb,” explains Scott. “I don’t think she’s present in her body and she hasn’t dealt with a lot of the things she needs time and space to deal with. There’s a lot bubbling under the surface. But for someone who has to deal with everything she’s dealing with – it’s interesting that when she gets the curse, it activates this survival instinct of someone who really wants to live. She wants to survive.”
For Scott, portraying Skye’s dual nature—the polished, public superstar and the broken, private individual—was a unique challenge. “She’s not someone who was born into any kind of privilege,” Scott says. “She’s someone who has had to fight for everything. And there was a version of herself that was projected back to her from the world. I think she felt a need to run with that and therefore didn’t have the space to discover who she was. When it comes to her music and her art, she’s very self-assured and is one of those artists who knows what they want. But outside of that, there’s a stunted maturity and a stunted growth with relationships. And as she relates to herself, I don’t think she knows who she is. So that was interesting and fun to play.”
Director Parker Finn is effusive in his praise for Scott’s performance. “Naomi is so unbelievably talented,” he says. “She can do everything. There are moments where she needs to be able to play a very elegant Grace Kelly-type in her public persona, and other moments where we see her at absolute rock bottom, at her worst. And Naomi did both with aplomb.”
Smile 2, set to terrify audiences starting October 16, is a chilling continuation of the curse introduced in the original Smile. Directed and written by Parker Finn, the film promises to push boundaries with its uncut R-18 rating in the Philippines. Finn, along with producers Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, and others, have crafted a horror experience that is both terrifying and thought-provoking.
The film also boasts an ensemble cast including Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Kyle Gallner. The combination of psychological terror and powerful performances guarantees a film that will haunt viewers long after they leave the theater.
Smile 2, distributed in the Philippines by Paramount Pictures through Columbia Pictures, will be released uncut in Philippine cinemas on October 16. Don’t miss the terrifying journey of Skye Riley, brought to life by Naomi Scott in a performance you won’t forget. Be part of the conversation using #Smile2 and #SmileMovie, and tag @paramountpicsph on social media.
(Photo and Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures International”)
(ROHN ROMULO)
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