Inde Navarrette came face to face with her own movie monster this weekend, posing at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights with the costumed double of “Obsession” villain Nikki Freeman. Halloween Horror Nights posted the photo to Instagram on Monday with the caption “double the Nikki, double the scares.” It shows Navarrette beside the blood-spattered character, a churro in her hand and the park’s glowing entrance sign behind them.
Nikki roams the park as a walkaround character, dressed in the black dress and boots from the film’s final scene. She has no haunted house. Event creative director John Murdy told Yahoo the idea grew after he learned that “Obsession” director Curry Barker is a devoted fan of the event. Guests who whisper a secret code word from the event’s Instagram can win a “One Wish Willow” card while supplies last. The event runs on select nights through Nov. 1.
The appearance lands in the middle of a debate. Some fans argue that turning Nikki into a stalking attraction trivializes the abuse she endures in the film, where a friend uses a magical trinket to force her into an unhinged, possessed devotion. Barker and Navarrette both back the park’s choice, and Murdy has defended it. A separate incident drew attention this month, when a guest harassed the performer playing Nikki, who broke character and cut her meet-and-greets short.
Few horror releases have moved from screen to theme park as fast. Barker’s indie film opened in May and has grossed nearly $500 million worldwide against a $750,000 budget. Murdy confirmed Nikki as a late addition to this year’s lineup, which also features haunted houses based on “Sinners,” “Stranger Things” and the “Hellraiser” trilogy.
Navarrette, 25, has ridden that success to a Critics’ Choice Super Award, awards-season buzz and a place on Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch list. She is slated to host the “Saturday Night Live” Halloween episode. She has said she liked that the film stayed a standalone story, though she wants more horror roles, and she is already filming the thriller “Invertigo.”
