‘X-Men’ Star Inde Navarrette Makes a Polka-Dot Couture Statement at the Academy Museum Gala
Few rising stars have had a year quite like Inde Navarrette. Her horror hit ‘Obsession’, directed by YouTube creator Curry Barker, opened in theaters on May 15 and quickly became one of 2026’s biggest box office stories.
The film follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston, who breaks a mysterious One Wish Willow so his crush Nikki, played by Navarrette, will love him more than anyone in the world. Naturally, the wish comes with horrifying consequences.
The numbers behind the movie are staggering. Made for a budget of around $750,000, ‘Obsession’ grossed more than $225 million worldwide within its first month, becoming one of the most profitable horror films ever made.
It also made history over Memorial Day weekend as the first movie since ‘Shrek’ to earn more in its second weekend than its first without a holiday boost. Focus Features had acquired the film for $14 million after its Midnight Madness premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, and critics singled out Navarrette’s volatile transformation as Nikki as the film’s most memorable element.
“Obsession” breakout Inde Navarrette walks the #AcademyMuseumGala carpet https://t.co/ari4zVNKcB
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) October 18, 2026
That breakout momentum carried Navarrette onto one of Hollywood’s biggest red carpets. On October 17, she walked the carpet at the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, with TheWrap sharing a clip of the ‘Obsession’ star posing for photographers.
She wore Schiaparelli, turning to creative director Daniel Roseberry’s fall 2026 couture collection. The strapless midi dress featured a fitted sweetheart bodice and a drop waist that flowed into a tiered bubble skirt, covered in cascading dark polka dots across neutral fabric.
Footwear News described the embellishment as rounded, glossy brown discs that gave the silhouette a sculptural quality. Styled by Enrique Melendez, Navarrette completed the look with pointed-toe pumps, a diamond necklace, statement drop earrings and an Old Hollywood low chignon.
The bold couture moment sparked strong opinions. WWD named Navarrette to its best-dressed list for the evening, while The Zoe Report highlighted her polka-dotted tiered gown among the night’s standout looks.
Not everyone was convinced, though. Some fashion critics placed her on worst-dressed roundups because of the dress’s eccentric styling, proving that daring couture rarely leaves anyone neutral.
Navarrette wasn’t the only star in the house’s couture that night. Teyana Taylor also wore Schiaparelli’s Fall/Winter 2026 Couture collection, choosing a turquoise breastplate paired with a sheer floral skirt.
The gala also doubled as a mini celebration for the film’s team. Director Curry Barker and co-star Michael Johnston both attended, and Navarrette and Johnston had reunited the night before at a pre-gala dinner hosted by honoree Colman Domingo. Fans were thrilled to see the duo together again. Navarrette also had some fun on the carpet, offering tips on how fans could recreate her look as a Halloween costume.
Inde Navarette attending the Academy Museum Gala (2026) https://t.co/srGCfI1baG
— linda (@itgirlbackup) October 18, 2026
Barker’s star continues to rise as well. He has already finished his next film, ‘Anything But Ghosts’, starring Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard, and is set to direct A24’s upcoming remake of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’.
Navarrette has revealed that fans can look out for an Easter egg referencing Nikki in ‘Anything But Ghosts’, even though the supernatural comedy isn’t connected to ‘Obsession’. She has also opened the door to the possibility of a sequel. The gala raises funds for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and honored Charlize Theron, Colman Domingo and John Carpenter this year, with Taylor Swift set to perform.
Navarrette joined a guest list that included Swift, Janelle Monáe and Jaafar Jackson, posing alongside several of them on the carpet. For a breakout star who began the year as a relative newcomer, her couture gala appearance felt like confirmation that she has fully arrived.
What do you think of Inde Navarrette’s polka-dot Schiaparelli couture gown at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala?
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