‘X-Men’ Star Inde Navarrette Gives Fans a Sweet First Taste of Rogue’s Southern Accent

Few things define Rogue quite like her voice, and Marvel’s upcoming ‘X-Men’ reboot has fans wondering whether the MCU will finally embrace it. For many longtime fans, the gold standard remains Lenore Zann’s performance in ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ and ‘X-Men ’97’. Meanwhile, Anna Paquin, who played Rogue across 4 Fox films, largely dropped the character’s Southern characterization in the 2000 film and its sequels.

That makes the casting of Inde Navarrette all the more exciting. The actress broke out this year in Curry Barker’s ‘Obsession’, an independent horror film that became a genuine global phenomenon, and it wasn’t long before Marvel came calling.

She had previously told Variety’s “Up Next” podcast that she had met with director Jake Schreier and was hoping for Mystique, her favorite character, before being officially unveiled as Rogue at D23 in August.

Now, Navarrette has offered fans an early sample of how her Rogue might sound. While walking the red carpet at a Toronto International Film Festival event celebrating ‘Obsession’, she was asked by etalkCTV to give the world a quick demo of her Southern accent.

Caught a little off guard, she admitted she hadn’t done much practice yet, then delivered the character’s favorite term of endearment: “sugar,” or, as Rogue would say it, “sugah.” She also made it clear the accent is very much a work in progress. Navarrette explained that she plans to keep refining it and will figure out the right approach together with the Marvel team.

This isn’t the first time Navarrette has opened up about nailing the role’s signature voice. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight back in September, she revealed she would be drawing inspiration from her own family background in Texas, noting a special connection to Corpus Christi and a fondness for the Southern women in her life.

Still, she knows a Texas twang isn’t quite the same thing. Rogue hails from Mississippi in the comics, and Navarrette told ET she wants to actually travel there to make sure she gets the character right. If she follows through, she would become the first live-action Rogue to fully commit to the character’s Mississippi roots.

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

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

Navarrette is joining a stacked ensemble. The new ‘X-Men’ stars Kit Connor as Cyclops, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Maya Boyd as Storm. Adam Driver will take on the villain role of Mister Sinister.

Jake Schreier, who previously directed ‘Thunderbolts*’, is helming the project, which marks the first ‘X-Men’ film fully developed by Marvel Studios. Filming is expected to begin in 2027, with the movie scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2028.

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

For a character whose powers revolve around absorbing the memories, abilities, and life force of anyone she touches, Rogue’s personality has always been just as memorable as her mutation. Her Southern charm is a huge part of that, which is why fans have been so invested in how Navarrette approaches it.

Inde Navarrette says she’s excited to explore Rogue’s sensitive side in ‘X-Men’ as she dishes on joining the MCU at the 2026 Newport Beach Film Festival. 🖤 https://t.co/H4Wn9sIUhq

— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) October 20, 2026

The early reaction suggests fans are weighing her take against Zann’s iconic performance, but there’s plenty of time before cameras roll. Between her planned trip to Mississippi and her collaboration with Marvel, Navarrette seems determined to give fans the Rogue they’ve been waiting for.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!