‘X-Men’ Star Inde Navarrette Admits Her Mystique Comments Were Secretly Hinting at Her Rogue Casting

Inde Navarrette has had a whirlwind year. Her breakout performance as Nikki in Curry Barker’s horror sensation ‘Obsession’ made her one of Hollywood’s most talked-about rising stars, and it didn’t take long for Marvel to come calling. In July, she revealed she had met with Jake Schreier, the ‘Thunderbolts*’ filmmaker directing Marvel’s ‘X-Men’ reboot.

Around the same time, Navarrette told Variety that Mystique was one of her dream roles, describing the shapeshifter as super cool. Naturally, fans assumed she was angling to play Raven Darkholme in the new film.

That theory was turned on its head in August. When the ‘X-Men’ cast walked out at D23, Navarrette was officially revealed as Rogue, joining Christopher Abbott’s Professor X, Sadie Sink’s Jean Grey, Kit Connor’s Cyclops, Samara Weaving’s Emma Frost and Maya Boyd’s Storm, with Adam Driver playing the villain Mr. Sinister.

Now Navarrette has admitted she already knew about her Rogue casting when she was talking up Mystique. Speaking with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt during her awards campaign for ‘Obsession’, she confirmed her comments weren’t misleading, just cleverly coded.

“I did know, but that wasn’t a lie,” she told Collider. “She and Rogue are also very similar, you know what I mean, if you’ve read the comics. So I was not lying. I was dropping hints, and I was like, ‘If anybody’s picking up what I’m putting down?’, but nobody did.”

Navarrette’s affection for Mystique is real. She explained that she grew up watching the earlier ‘X-Men’ films and has always loved the character, pointing to Rebecca Romijn’s portrayal as a big part of that connection.

Inde Navarrette teases her accent for Rogue in ‘X-MEN’. (via: @etalkCTV) https://t.co/jUZbH9k4x2

— X-Men Updates (@XMenUpdate) October 22, 2026

She also described Mystique as complicated and nuanced, especially in the character’s original comic book stories. Navarrette has joked that ending up as Rogue was a bit like a rabbit-in-the-hat situation, but she clearly doesn’t mind where things landed.

For comic book fans, the connection between the 2 characters runs deep. In the comics, Mystique acts as Rogue’s adoptive mother after recruiting her to the Brotherhood of Mutants, even instigating her to steal the powers of Carol Danvers.

Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette share their joy for being part of the X-Men. Read our interview: https://t.co/Lyh1ooHV98 https://t.co/8xHXOoo28G

— Nexus Point News (@NexusPointNews) October 26, 2026

Longtime X-Men writer Chris Claremont has said that if he hadn’t left Marvel in 1991, Mystique would have been revealed as Rogue’s real mother. That family bond makes Navarrette’s Mystique comments feel like a smart, subtle nod to her actual role.

Navarrette is already preparing to bring Rogue to life. During a red carpet interview with Etalk, she offered fans a quick taste of the character’s Southern accent with her iconic “sugar” catchphrase, while noting she would continue working on it with the Marvel team.

She has also spoken about the pressure of the role. Navarrette has described Rogue as her first big character and admitted to a fear of failure after ‘Obsession’, though she said that worry faded once she saw how excited fans were about the casting.

I asked Inde Navarrette what made her sign onto X-MEN… and how late her deal closed! More here: https://t.co/LaFIPkgFaT https://t.co/sqgCphjgV7

— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) October 22, 2026

Her commitment to the role is notable. Reports have suggested Navarrette turned down a part in Michael Mann’s ‘Heat 2’ to play Rogue, underscoring just how much the character means to her.

Marvel’s ‘X-Men’ reboot is expected to arrive in 2028. If her playful approach to the press is any indication, Navarrette is ready to have a lot of fun stepping into one of the franchise’s most beloved mutants.

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