‘Smile 2’ Star Naomi Scott on Referencing Kristen Stewart and Receiving Creepy Smiles in Public: “Please Don’t”
Smile 2 star Naomi Scott has added her name to the growing list of recent genre performances that deserve(d) awards consideration. From James McAvoy (Split) and Toni Collette (Hereditary) to Lupita Nyong’o (Us) and Mia Goth (Pearl), Scott is the latest example of an actor whose committed work in a highly difficult role shouldn’t be overlooked just because of the genre in which it resides. It’s well past time to have more than a half-dozen exceptions who managed to take home Oscar statuettes via the horror genre, such as Ruth Gordon (Rosemary’s Baby), Kathy Bates (Misery) and Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs).
In Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 smash hit, Scott plays Skye Riley, a troubled pop star who’s attempting to mount a comeback after surviving a car accident that took the life of her equally famous boyfriend, Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson). Skye’s return to prominence is made all the more difficult when a late-night encounter with an old high school friend results in her being on the receiving end of a fateful creepy smile.
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Despite his vested interest, Finn genuinely believes that Scott deserves awards recognition.
“Naomi is an absolute powerhouse. She gives a tour-de-force performance in [Smile 2], and if I was on an awards committee, even unbiased, I would say she absolutely deserves consideration. So I hope that the industry starts recognizing that,” Finn tells The Hollywood Reporter.
Similar to her celebrated work as Princess Jasmine in Guy Ritchie’s live-action Aladdin (2019), Scott also contributed her vocal chops to Smile 2. She even took things a couple steps further by co-writing two tracks as the character of Skye Riley for the movie’s six-song soundtrack EP. Scott then performs most of those songs in various forms throughout the film.
The West London native’s dedication extended to the horror of the piece, as there’s a harrowing scene where Skye slaps herself in order to wake herself up from what she hopes is just a dream or fantasy. But instead of relying on movie magic, Scott insisted on actually striking herself given the weight of the scene.
“Parker asked me, ‘Nay, how do you feel about it?’ That, of course, is the correct thing to do, but I was like, ‘Of course I’m going to slap myself,’” Scott shares. “It had to happen. And quite honestly, everything was so warranted in terms of the moment and Skye and the story. It was completely justified.”
Based on Finn’s scripted vision of a pop star with short bleached blonde hair, Scott willingly chopped off her long dark hair for the role. From there, Scott, Finn and hair department head Angie Johnson took inspiration from a variety of looks, including ones served by Tilda Swinton and a former Charlie’s Angels (2019) co-star of Scott’s.
“Even though she’s a friend, she’s still Kristen Stewart, and so she’s still someone that you reference,” Scott says. “I sent her a picture of me and her next to [each other], and it was Skye’s slicked-back look at the gala. [Kristen] had a specific look on a red carpet that I loved, so we rolled with that [for Skye’s gala look], and I think it worked really well.”
Part of what helped Smile (2022) make nearly 13 times its $17 million budget was its viral marketing campaign that placed creepy smilers at nationally televised playoff baseball games. Smile 2 has followed suit and then some, but now that the movie is released, Scott respectfully asks fans of the franchise to think twice about treating her like she’s Skye Riley.
“I would just say, please don’t [creepy smile at me]. I’ll sit and talk to you about the weather, music, food, your grandma, but just don’t do the creepy smile at me, please,” Scott stresses. “I am really jumpy, as well. I’m a sensitive soul, so don’t do that to me, please.”
Below, during a recent conversation with THR, Scott also details a few of Smile 2’s most challenging sequences, as well as Skye’s overconsumption of Voss bottled water.
First things first, are you alright? You and Skye Riley went through a lot on this one.
Yeah, you’re right. We did go through a lot, but I’m fine. I’m honestly so happy and so grateful. I get to promote something I’m so proud of and that I love. In years to come, I can show my kids and be like, “Look what your mom did.” So that’s pretty cool, and I’m over the moon.
When you found out you were in the mix for Smile 2, is there a natural inclination to find the closest mirror and try to create your creepiest smile?
Interestingly enough, I was a fan of Parker’s. I’d watched his 2020 short film, Laura Hasn’t Slept, and then I’d obviously gone and watched Smile. I was such a fan of it, and what really stuck out to me was actually what a character piece it was. Parker was so clearly prioritizing the character piece part of it in order to tell his story. You can’t separate the character from it. They’re not just used to push the plot forward. So, for me, it was more just, “Who is Skye?” and getting into that than it was a smile. And who says that I smile in the movie? We don’t know, right?
When people see you on the street, they probably burst into their rendition of “A Whole New World” or, “It’s morphin’ time,” but have you prepared yourself for the inevitable creepy smiles you’ll see from now on?
Oh, I really hope people don’t do that. Do you think they’re going to do it?
I hope not, but I think they will.
I would just say, please don’t. I’ll sit and talk to you about the weather, music, food, your grandma, but just don’t do the creepy smile at me, please. I am really jumpy, as well. I’m a sensitive soul, so don’t do that to me, please. Also, what if I get in defense mode and I punch someone in the face? That’s not good. Do you know what I mean?
I’m knocking on wood right now.
Thank you! I appreciate it.
So was pop stardom your original dream? Or was it on the same level as movie stardom?
Ooh, I would say music and my love for music has always been a driving force for me. Music was my first love. It felt like the area that I was going to go into, and I’ve been writing music since I was 14. I love music. I love creating music. So it’s just been figuring out the right collaborators for me and who I want to be as an artist, what I want to say and creating what I want to sound like. It’s the biggest blessing to be able to make music and create with people that I think are incredible. So that is the goal, as opposed to any kind of idea of pop stardom. It’s more about just being able to have the resources to make music and to share it with anyone who’s interested in connecting with you around music. So that’s my thing.
Every time I thought I found the scene that put you most through wringer, another one would come along and top it.
(Laughs.)
Which scene would you least like to relive again?
Oh mate, there were so many of them, but the freezer was the hardest four days of my life, if I’m being really honest. That was really rough. Yeah, the freezer stuff.
I have to ask about the slapping scene. It looked incredibly real, so did you go all the way there? Or is it movie magic?
Oh my goodness, that was real, of course. Is there a movie magic way where you can slap yourself? That would be crazy, but there probably is nowadays, so I guess you’re right. It was absolutely in the script, but Parker asked me, “Nay, how do you feel about it?” That, of course, is the correct thing to do, but I was like, “Of course, I’m going to slap myself.” What’s so funny is that there aren’t many jobs where that conversation happens and you go, “What do you mean? Of course, I’m going to slap myself.” That just doesn’t happen in any other line of work, but yes, it had to happen. It was just part of the thing. And quite honestly, everything was so warranted in terms of the moment and Skye and the story. It was completely justified.
The flash mob scene in her apartment, was that also one of the stranger days you’ve ever had on set?
Yes, it was very strange, but what you [initially] see is Skye’s perspective or POV from the camera. It was still fun for me, and the dancers were also Skye’s dancers in the performance piece. So we’d already built up a rapport, and by the time that it got very physical and intense and they were grabbing at me, there was a trust there. But I thought their movements were amazing. Their ability to storytell with their bodies and create this almost non-human movement was brilliant.
You were very well-hydrated on this movie.
So well-hydrated.
Did your preparation involve chugging bottles of Voss? Did you go down to your neighborhood pub and order a round of Voss?
(Laughs.) During this movie, I wanted to ask for a round of something else, believe me. No, I’m joking. It’s actually really hard to down a bottle [of Voss]. I guess I didn’t anticipate how uncomfortable that would be. For example, the one take that [begins with Voss chugging and] ends with me smashing the shower, that was an hour-long reset. So we only did that take all the way through two times, but we started the take [in a place] where it would then be cut. Parker didn’t want to waste a [full] take and have to reset if he knew that it wasn’t the one, but we did it five times. So I had to chug each time, and it was really important to me that she downed the whole bottle at that point in the movie. There was a moment before where she does drink quite fast, but she doesn’t drink the whole thing. Or maybe she does at the beginning, as well; I can’t remember. But you’re right; there was a lot [of Voss chugging].
I was also very well known for being well-hydrated anyway, because I had a massive two-and a-half-liter bottle with me all the time. We named it Gidget. Fluids were just coming out of me for a month. I was crying so much; I was snotting, so we had to replenish that. There were so many tears, and I had to just drink water to fill myself back up again.
The head of the hair department, Angie Johnson, said that Kristen Stewart was an inspiration for Skye’s hair. Is it bizarre to reference someone you’ve worked with in the past?
No, because she’s still an icon. Even though she’s a friend, she’s still Kristen Stewart, and so she’s still someone that you reference. It was actually a particular look where we referenced her. I sent her a picture of me and her next to [each other], and it was Skye’s slicked-back look at the gala. [Kristen] had a specific look on a red carpet that I loved, and I was like, “Oh my gosh, this is great.” So we rolled with that [for Skye’s gala look], and I think it worked really well.
So you co-wrote a couple Skye Riley tracks that play throughout the movie. The piano version of “Just My Name” happens to be my favorite. Is it an interesting exercise to write lyrics in character?
Yeah, it’s really fun. But even if you are in the midst of making music for yourself and writing for yourself and with other people, sometimes you do have these moments where you write in character anyway. It’s a kind of creative exercise to mix it up a little bit. So I enjoy that, and I enjoy the idea of being in a session and going, “What would it be like if we wrote a song for so-and-so?” [Smile 2: The Skye Riley EP] was a little bit like that, and it was fun because we weren’t putting the same creative limitations that you put on yourself as an artist. Those go out the window a little bit, and you lean into things that you would never do and ways of singing that you would never do. I’m obviously singing lyrics that I would never write about things that feel more this way or that way, and that’s a very fun process.
Alexis [Kesselman], or Idarose, wrote and produced four of the tracks. She’s my age, and she’s so talented. We had the most fun writing together, and funnily enough, we started writing “Just My Name” together over Zoom just days after I was cast. We then wrote “Death of Me,” which is the end credit song, after the movie was made, so that was really fun in a nice full-circle moment.
Did you also design Skye’s signature that plays a prominent role in one sequence?
Yes, Parker said, “Do a bunch of different signatures, and we can decide.” So I did a bunch, and then we just landed on that.
Along the lines of Skye’s “I need some water for my daughter” or “I need a waiter with some water,” do you have any warm-up routines or rituals before performing a scene or song?
If I’m singing or doing vocal warmups or I’m in the studio, then it’s very boring. I just have an app on my phone, and it’s a 20-minute warmup or whatever. That scene, though, I believe that was Parker. He just really liked the sound of that, and I was like, “Yeah, I like it too. It’s a vibe.” So we kind of went with it, and there’s something about the water [as discussed earlier]. There’s something a little bit off-kilter about it, but it works really well.
Similar to Skye and Gemma (Dylan Gelula), do you think you and your friend Princess Jasmine will ever reunite someday?
Oh, of course. There’s a movie in the works right now with Skye and Princess Jasmine. It’s a merging of worlds, and naturally, it’s going to be a musical that’s both magic and spirituality. It’s coming soon to a cinema near you.
Lastly, what can you say about the movie you produced not too long ago?
Funnily enough, I found out that I got this job the day I wrapped that movie. It’s called Eternal Return, and it’s a beautiful love story. It’s kind of whimsical. It’s just about grief and letting go and rediscovering yourself and moving on. So it’s beautiful, and it’s a very different movie from Smile 2, with a very different character and a very different tone.
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Smile 2 is now playing in movie theaters.
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