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 2 is the sequel to the 2022 horror hit, Smile. The franchise centers on a demonic force called The Enтιтy, which plagues its victims with horrifying hallucinations of people smiling creepily. After witnessing the tragic demise of Rose at the end of Smile, Smile 2 focuses 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 in the 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’s Power Rangers. However, what was arguably Scott’s biggest breakout was her role as Jasmine in 2019’s live-action Aladdin. Scott seemingly took a hiatus after this mᴀssive project, but Smile 2 is 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 in Aladdin, Scott didn’t return to the silver screen for five whole years. Notably, the same year that Scott appeared in Aladdin, she also starred in 2019’s Charlie’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 mᴀssive IPs and big press commitments, Scott may have needed a break. Smile 2 is smaller and completely different from Scott’s previous two movies, but her performance proves that it is a solid pivot for the actress.

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 Tokyo and Anatomy 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. In Anatomy of a Scandal, Scott played Olivia Lytton, a parliamentary researcher who begins an affair with a British MP, only to later accuse him of Sєxual ᴀssault, creating a huge public scandal. The series earned a 57% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Smile 2 Shows The Full Talent Of Naomi Scott

How Smile 2 Offers A New Side Of Scott

Smile 2 may have been a long time coming for Scott, but it was definitely worth the wait. The movie has earned a Certified Fresh 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, and has grossed more than $58 million at the box office. Scott’s performance certainly helped bolster the film’s success. In the 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.

Amazingly, Smile 2 also 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, but Smile 2 puts her into a more complicated role that gives her a chance to shine. From singing and dancing to escaping a hospital covered in blood, Scott does it all in Smile 2, and she does it well.

Naomi Scott Deserves More Leading Roles After Smile 2 & Aladdin

What Scott Should Do Next

If anything, Smile 2 has 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. Before Smile 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.

After the end of Smile 2, Scott probably won’t return to the Smile franchise, yet she should definitely star in another horror movie. After Smile 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 2 is 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 in Smile 2 is certain to elevate her career in some exciting ways, but it has still gotten lost in the conversation of the best 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. 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 in Hereditary, Lupita Nyong’o in Us, and Florence Pugh in Midsommar.

Scott’s work in Smile 2 ranks 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.