Naomi Scott recently starred in the horror sequel,Smile 2, and this successful outing has been a long time coming for the actress, who made her breakout five whole years ago.Smile 2is the sequel to the 2022 horror hit,Smile.The franchise centers on ademonic force called The Entity, which plagues its victims with horrifying hallucinations of people smiling creepily. After witnessing the tragic demise of Rose at the end ofSmile,Smile 2focuses on a new protagonist, pop star, Skye Riley. Skye is played by English actress, Scott.
Scott may be somewhat unfamiliar to audiences, but she has actually been in the acting business for quite a while. Scott’s first major role was inthe 2011 Disney Channel original film,Lemonade Mouth,where she was part of a high school band. After that, Scott collected a number of small TV roles until she appeared in 2017’sPower Rangers.However,what was arguably Scott’s biggest breakout was her role as Jasmine in 2019’s live-actionAladdin.Scott seemingly took a hiatus after this massive project, butSmile 2is a worthwhile follow-up.
Naomi Scott Didn’t Get Another Major Movie Role After Aladdin Before Smile 2
What Scott Was Doing Before Smile 2
After starring inAladdin,Scott didn’t return to the silver screen for five whole years. Notably, the same year that Scott appeared inAladdin,she also starred in 2019’sCharlie’s Angels,alongside Kristen Stewart and Ella Balinska. This may explain why Scott disappeared from movies for such a long period. After starring in two films with massive IPs and big press commitments, Scott may have needed a break.Smile 2is smaller and completely different from Scott’s previous two movies, but her performance proves that it is a solid pivot for the actress.
Smile 2 (2024)
Skye Riley
Though Scott didn’t star in any movies from 2020 to 2023, the actress was still working on-screen. In 2022, she appeared in two TV shows:Modern Love TokyoandAnatomy of a Scandal.In terms of the former, she only starred in a single episode, but Scott took on a main role in the latter.InAnatomy of a Scandal,Scott played Olivia Lytton, a parliamentary researcher who begins an affair with a British MP, only to later accuse him of sexual assault, creating a huge public scandal. The series earned a 57% onRotten Tomatoes.
Smile 2 Shows The Full Talent Of Naomi Scott
How Smile 2 Offers A New Side Of Scott
Smile 2may have been a long time coming for Scott, but it was definitely worth the wait. The movie has earned a Certified Fresh 85% onRotten Tomatoes, and has grossed more than $58 million at the box office. Scott’s performance certainly helped bolster the film’s success. Inthe role of Skye Riley,Scott is perfectly horrified and overwhelmingly chaotic. She not only embodies a woman being haunted, but she also adds some interesting dynamics to her character. Skye is the victim, but she also has plenty of dark secrets and bad habits on top of that.
From singing and dancing to escaping a hospital covered in blood, Scott does it all inSmile 2,and she does it well.
Amazingly,Smile 2also offers Scott an opportunity to show off her musical talents. As Skye, Scott gets to play the part of a pop star, wearing unique costumes and doing complex dance numbers. This is different from what audiences have seen from Scott in the past. In other movies,Scott has played the rebellious teenager and the intelligent ingénue, butSmile 2puts her into a more complicated rolethat gives her a chance to shine. From singing and dancing to escaping a hospital covered in blood, Scott does it all inSmile 2,and she does it well.
Naomi Scott Deserves More Leading Roles After Smile 2 & Aladdin
What Scott Should Do Next
If anything,Smile 2has proven that Scott deserves more leading roles. In just five years, she has shown just how much range she has, going from headstrong princess to damaged pop star. In this way, it would be amazing to see Scott take on even more dynamic roles, especially in different genres. BeforeSmile 2,Scott would not have been the obvious choice for a horror movie, but now it is clear that she can hang with any other modern scream queen. Hollywood should give her even more chances to show off her incredible talent.
Afterthe end ofSmile 2,Scott probably won’t return to theSmilefranchise, yet she should definitely star in another horror movie. AfterSmile 2,many viewers are likely eager to see Scott in another traumatic role, like Skye Riley. Furthermore, Scott should dip her toes into other genres, aside from musicals and action films. It is great to see Scott in more physical roles, but it would be interesting to see if her dramatic acting is enough to captivate audiences.Smile 2is just the beginning of what could be a great career for Naomi Scott.
Naomi Scott Proved Again That Horror Performances Deserve More Acclaim
Scott Joins A List Of Other Acclaimed Horror Performances That Were Snubbed
Naomi Scott’s amazing performance inSmile 2is certain to elevate her career in some exciting ways, but it has still gotten lost in the conversation of thebest performances of 2024. Scott’s performance goes beyond being scared and it is her role as Riley that guides the audience through this harrowing experience. She is giving it her all in the demanding role and the results are more than impressive. So it is disappointing that Scott’s amazing turn has been dismissed the way other horror performances have in the past.
Despite the era of so-called elevated horror, the genre is still taken completely seriously as a movie genre.
Despite the era of so-called elevated horror, the genre is still taken completely seriously as a movie genre. They may get rave reviews from critics, but it is rare to ever see one of these movies nominated for Oscars, especially when it comes to the performances. In recent years,there have been several actors whose work in horror has been highlighted as deserving of awards attention, such as Toni Collette inHereditary, Lupita Nyong’o inUs, and Florence Pugh inMidsommar.
Scott’s work inSmile 2ranks alongside those powerful and complex performances, but like all those above-mentioned actors, Scott has received little awards recognition for her work. As horror movies continue to prove themselves critical hits as well as strong box office performers, there is a chance that a shift in how these movies and their performances are perceived by the Academy Awards.
Smile 2
Cast
Smile 2 is the sequel to the 2022 psychological horror film by director Parker Finn that centers on a therapist who witnesses a patient’s suicide, leading to a series of terrifying supernatural events. The sequel will see the return of Finn as director, with Paramount continuing distribution.
