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Naomi Scott shines in 'Smile 2', a chilling horror film exposing fame's dark side. Read her thoughts on playing troubled pop icon Skye Riley.

British actress Naomi Scott, best known for playing Princess Jasmine in the Disney film Aladdin, is getting darker and harder with her latest film - Smile 2. The psychological horror sequel, directed by Alan Parker, has Scott play the troubled pop star Skye Riley, haunted by terrifying forces.

In a recent interview with Gulf News, Scott spoke of the challenges of playing Skye, whose fame actually amplifies inner turmoil. “I like difficult things … Weirdly, I get off on them. Maybe that’s my version of bungee jumping,” she said, revealing her enthusiasm for emotionally taxing roles.

The film, set for release at cinemas in the UAE on October 18, revolves around the darker dimensions of fame. Skye's life spirals into a series because she presumes dark forces are targeting her. Talking about the role, Naomi explained, “Fame is just like that fuel to the fire with all the things that Skye is dealing with.” The film explores the themes of how fame, however romanticized, can heighten feelings of paranoia, anxiety, and self-doubt.

In the interview, Scott described Skye as a young woman who experienced fame too early with little room to grow and understand her true self.  She said, “Her life revolves around her, right? And that can be a very lonely place, very anxiety-inducing. The relationships around you become very conditional. So, there's this insecurity around your kind of self-worth.”

The role of Skye is a far cry from being Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. However, Scott takes this in her stride and explains how exhilarating it is for her to play the role of Skye Riley. Recalling the meeting to read about Skye, Scott emphasised their creative connection and said, “It was a general meeting that probably should have been 45 minutes long. It ended up being three hours.”

The Smile prequel director, Parker is known for his unusual take on horror mixed with psychological trauma is seen in Smile 2 as well. In this psychological horror thriller, Parker has sought to bring forth the nuanced horror with the key theme of fame and paranoia.

In the interview, Scott also highlighted how the aspect of mental health resonates throughout the film. She explained, “What’s smart here is that the main protagonist is famous, and they may be going through things that are incredibly universal feelings, but the pressure cooker of being famous tends to make those things worse. Whereas Parker masterfully plays with the lines between reality and imagination, creating a chilling yet thought-provoking narrative.

Despite the power of the role, Scott has enjoyed the darker aspects of the movie. She named some other favourites in which the darker aspects of human nature were explored as St Maud and Let the Right One In. “I just appreciated and kept falling in love with the craft behind the filmmaking of it. When we were filming, I found beauty in gory, blood-soaked moments too,” Scott noted.

Though Scott is nothing like Skye in real life, the actress found freedom in playing such a role. “I never really talked to him and just used to ignore his presence, but I enjoyed that because maybe I am a people pleaser,” she said, referring to her on-screen dynamic with her assistant in the film.

With Smile 2, Naomi Scott shows she can handle the heavy, emotionally charged roles that will always be as prevalent, if not far greater than her previous more benign parts. As Skye Riley, she confronts fame's darker side; a haunting performance audiences won't soon forget.