Smile's release in 2022 was monumental, with the low-budget horror raking in more than $217 million at the box office thanks to its viral marketing campaign and twisty narrative that delivered scares and suspense in droves. Shortly after the first film's release, director Parker Finn announced a sequel, with Smile 2 hitting cinema screens right in time for Halloween 2024. It tells the story of Skye Riley, a pop songstress who finds herself cursed by the Smile Entity after witnessing a tragic death – but who might have found an unlikely solution after a mysterious figure reaches out to her.
Aladdin star Naomi Scott portrays the titular pop icon, and her performance has been raved about in numerous reviews thanks to her relatability and talent when it comes to hitting the stage and, well, hitting out at demonic entities. As Smile 2 comes to cinemas, FILMHOUNDS spoke to Scott about the inspirations behind her character, the perils of fame for young celebrities, and her favourite scares.
You star as Skye Riley in Smile 2. How did you get involved with the project?
I was a fan of the film's director Parker Finn. I saw his short film in 2020, and when Smile came out, I was like, “I have seen this movie.” I love the fact that his movies are really character pieces. He's so skilful and masterful when it comes to the horror elements, but he does not compromise the characters. They aren't used as a device to push a plot forward, they are the movie, and that was very exciting to me. And then when we met, and he was talking about Skye, it felt even more meant to be because she's a musician and all of this other stuff. So then, I had to convince them to let me do it.
Were there any specific inspirations you drew on to bring Skye to life?
There really wasn't. I think I just trusted that there was already a shape of Skye that was being created in terms of our costume and some of the songs that were already written by the time I got there. These elements were beginning to shape Parker's vision of who Skye was as an artist. So then I was just able to step into that and allow myself to just whatever organically happened when you put those two things together.
In terms of the music, I got to co-write some of the songs. There's a songwriter-producer called Ida Rose who wrote and produced four of the five songs for Skye – two of which we co-wrote together. Her voice was on the demo for New Brain and Blood On White Satin when I got cast, so her voice was like a blueprint for me to enter into Skye. So I'd say she was more of an inspiration. There are also influences that you can see from the costume and all the artists involved in the creation of Skye – they will all have inspiration and draw inspiration from great pop performers.
It sounds really immersive being involved with the film on that level, and you're involved in some pretty intense sequences. Was there anything you did to get yourself in the headspace to do those scenes?
In terms of preparation for scenes, yes. It's just like anything else – a focus thing – and every actor is different. Everyone has a different way of getting there, and there's no right or wrong. There's also no right or wrong in terms of coming out of character. I'm the type of performer that it's never been too much of an issue. Maybe it's because I'm usually thinking about food and that just takes me out. As soon as they call cut after a few hours of shooting, I'm just hungry, so all I can think about is food. That's a very Naomi thing. So then I'm just like, I need to eat. And that will just lead me back to whoever I am.
There's a lot to be said in Smile 2 about how people in the public eye – especially young people – can be left without a support network and run into trouble that can have terrible consequences. Do you think it's something we're more aware of now or do you think more could be done?
I think it's a collective mirror of ourselves and how we project onto people in the public eye and what sort of culture that creates. I think there are also structural issues as it pertains to the music industry, specifically. With streaming and how the industry has evolved, musicians and artists are unable to make a living from what they do because music is so expensive to make, and yet there's an expectation that it's free. Other people are profiting off of the backs of incredible songwriters – for a songwriter to make money, it's insane. So then it puts the onus on all these artists to have to almost put themselves out there in a way that doesn't protect them in order to try to sell what they're doing. And then this creates a sense of, “Oh, I know this person”, but you don't know this person. As well as this, because of the broken system, artists are having to tour in a way that is so intense that it's passing a healthy maintenance of one's well-being.
Was there a particular scare in Smile 2 that was your favourite?
It's funny because even now I know where the jump scares are, they still really get me. I enjoy one of the first ones after she's been to Lewis' (Lukas Gage) apartment. She's in bed and she hears something, and the camera scans the room – it's such a classic scare – but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's so effective, and you just see Lewis in the shadow but it's silent. It's not a jump scare, but it kind of reminds me a little bit of Hereditary when Toni Collette is in the background on the ceiling and you see her in our focus. It's one of the most terrifying things I've seen because it's that fear of what's behind you. Stuff like that is often scarier to me than a jump scare.
Smile 2 is in cinemas now.