Unveiling Nikki: Discover Why This ‘Obsession’ Star Seems Like an Old Friend

In “Obsession,” Navarrette takes on the role of Nikki, a lively employee at a music store who shares a close bond with her childhood friend and coworker, Bear, played by Michael Johnston. When Bear hesitates to express his feelings directly, he resorts to using a love spell on a mystical One Wish Willow. The charm works almost instantly, causing Nikki to become obsessively infatuated with him. Navarrette’s ability to transform her voice and physicality into something terrifying suggests a veteran’s skill.

Despite her remarkable performance, the 25-year-old actress is relatively new to the spotlight, having appeared mainly in smaller projects and supporting roles on television. She first appeared in the 2019 Snapchat Original comedy series “Denton’s Death Date,” which told the story of a high school junior confronting the reality of having only a week to live. The following year, Navarrette made her mark on the fourth season of “13 Reasons Why,” followed by her ongoing role in “Superman & Lois.”

By the time “13 Reasons Why” reached its fourth season, the series had significantly diverged from Jay Asher’s 2007 novel, evolving into a melodramatic tale of Liberty High students navigating their path to graduation while dealing with past mistakes.

By the time “13 Reasons Why” made it to Season 4, the series had long deviated from the source material within Jay Asher’s 2007 novel of the same name. It instead became an outlandish soap opera following the ensemble of Liberty High making their way to graduation, albeit with the mistakes of the past bearing down on them. 

Inde Navarrette joined the final season of “13 Reasons Why” in a supporting role as Estela de la Cruz, otherwise known as the sister of Monty de la Cruz (Timothy Granaderos), who died in Season 3. Her presence at school is not nearly as explosive as her brother, and Estela is able to make quick friends with Jessica Davis (Alisha Boe) by joining the activist group “Hands Off Our Bodies.”

Navarrette doesn’t get a lot to do considering she’s dropping into a final season with multiple ongoing storylines, but she gets some moments to shine. One of her more interesting developments comes near the end of Season 4 when Estela forms a surprise romance with Tyler Down (Devin Druid), the classmate Monty sexually assaulted at the end of Season 2. Estela and Tyler make peace with their pasts and eventually go to the prom together. When it comes to every horrible event that’s taken place at Liberty High, it’s a minor miracle that these two find happiness in the end.

Following a small part in the 2020 drama “Wander Darkly,” Inde Navarrette went on to land one of her biggest roles as Sarah Cortez in The CW superhero series “Superman & Lois.” While her part was greatly diminished in the fourth and final season due tobudget cuts, Navarrette proved valuable.

Sarah is a teenager who lives in Smallville with her dysfunctional parents Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui) and Kyle Cushing (Erik Valdez). She develops an on-again, off-again relationship with Jordan Kent (Alex Garfin), the son of Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) and Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin). It’s not until later that Sarah learns and accepts Jordan’s superpowers, which he uses to moonlight as Superboy. But for as much involvement as she has with the Kents, she also gets to explore her own storylines.

Sarah changes her last name from Cushing to Cortez after learning that her father changed his maiden name out of fear when he moved to a rural community. She also becomes more open about her queerness following a summer camp fling with Aubrey (Djouliet Amara). “Superman & Lois” subverts the mental health arc by having Sarah grow after realizing she needs to confront her dark feelings, which Navarrette spoke about in an exclusive interview with Looper. After the series ended, Navarrette booked a role in the 2025 crime-action movie “Trap House” starring Dave Bautista and Jack Champion. And after “Obsession” comes out, she’s sure to be booked for years to come.