Six weeks ago, most people only knew the name Inde Navarrette because of Superman & Lois or 13 Reasons Why. Now she’s telling Nylon about a meeting with Michael Mann about Heat 2 and Jake Schreier about the MCU’s X-Men reboot. Things can change so fast. And thanks to her breakout performance in Curry Barker‘s Obsession, Navarrette has become one of the most talked-about actresses in Hollywood right now.
Mann is still casting Heat 2, his prequel to the 1995 original, and there’s exactly one major role left to fill: Charlene Shiherlis, the young wife Ashley Judd played alongside Val Kilmer.
According to reports, 51-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio has that part. But Navarrette is only 25. That’s a 26-year gap between the two. Except Mann has already mentioned that he’s planning to use de-aging technology throughout the film, so we might actually be getting a much younger Leo beside her.
But Navarrette hasn’t confirmed that she’s gotten or accepted the part yet. She’s only confirmed that she had a meeting about Heat 2.
Michael Mann Isn’t the Only Director Calling
Navarrette also sat down with Jake Schreier, who directed Marvel’s Thunderbolts, and is now rumored to be attached to the studio’s next X-Men film. And while there’s no role being named just yet, and Marvel hasn’t confirmed anything officially, fans are already guessing who she could play in the reboot franchise. Rogue? Hope Summers? Mirage? Kitty Pryde? Mystique? Emma Frost? The options are really endless.
Put Heat 2 and X-Men next to each other and Navarrette has a genuinely unusual problem on her hands. Two franchises, two completely different genres, and one calendar to fit them into.
Ryan Coogler and Greta Gerwig Are on Her List Too
Ask Navarrette who she actually wants to work with, however, and Mann and Schreier are only the start. She’s named Ryan Coogler and Greta Gerwig as well, and mentioned wanting to move into more action films. Her name has also come up around Amazon’s adaptation of the fantasy novel Fourth Wing.
That range makes sense once you look at the numbers behind Obsession, the film that made her famous. It cost around $750,000 to produce and has pulled in more than $400 million worldwide. Studios notice returns like that fast, but directors usually notice first.
Why She’s Not Rushing Her Next Move
Navarrette has said that she wants to prove Obsession wasn’t a fluke, and that earning an audience’s trust takes real time, not one lucky opening weekend. “I really want to prove that Obsession wasn’t just lightning in a bottle,” she told Nylon. “This is something that I really love and want to continue doing, but of course, that’s going to take time. I want people to take that time to trust that I have that capability.” She’s also said she’s ready to take creative risks that might not pay off.
She has another film shooting this September, again with a first-time director. Focus is reportedly planning to push her for awards consideration this fall, and she has a smaller film called Invertigo sitting in post-production with no release date yet.
With an Instagram following that just crossed 2.7 million, Navarrette has landed in the strange position of being one of the most talked-about actresses in the industry without a single confirmed franchise credit to her name. Given the last six weeks, don’t expect that to stay true much longer.
