It was just one word. But for X-Men fans, that word carried the weight of decades of anticipation. Inde Navarrette, the breakout star of A24’s Obsession and the newly confirmed Rogue in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men film, offered her first public preview of the character during a red-carpet interview at the Toronto International Film Festival. The word was “Sugar,” and fans have been talking about it ever since.
During a red-carpet appearance at TIFF ahead of a panel about Obsession, Navarrette was interviewed by Canadian news programme Etalk. She was told that fans were eager to hear her Southern accent and was asked to deliver Rogue’s iconic catchphrase. After pausing and laughing, she gave it a try.
“You know what? God bless me, I haven’t done a lot of practice. But — my version’s just, ‘Sugar,’” she said, delivering the word with a soft, tentative Southern drawl.
Navarrette was candid about where she stands in the process. “I’m gonna work on it, if you don’t like it, and I’m gonna figure out and talk to the Marvel team on what we wanna do.”
Her response made for a disarming, warm moment, particularly for fans who had reservations about the casting. Rather than presenting her interpretation as a finished product, Navarrette acknowledged that she still had work to do and that the character’s voice would be something to develop in collaboration with Marvel.
Rogue, whose real name is Anna Marie, is a runaway from Mississippi. Her Southern accent is not merely a cosmetic detail; it is an integral part of her identity and the way she has been portrayed across decades of comic books, animated series and live-action films. For many fans, the benchmark remains Lenore Zann’s vocal performance in the original X-Men: The Animated Series, which debuted in 1992, and its 2024 revival, X-Men ’97. Zann’s unmistakable Southern drawl became as closely associated with Rogue as her distinctive white streak and power-absorbing abilities.
When the original Fox X-Men films introduced Anna Paquin as Rogue in 2000, the character’s Southern accent was largely dropped. The decision divided fans and has remained a point of discussion over the years. Navarrette therefore faces the challenge of bringing Rogue’s Mississippi roots to the forefront of a live-action portrayal while inevitably inviting comparisons with Zann’s widely recognised interpretation.
Speaking on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Navarrette also discussed the responsibility of taking on a character with such an established legacy.
“I also recognise that with acting comes the freedom of being a completely different person, one of those people being Rogue, Anna Marie, paying homage, paying respect to the incredible writers that are a part of Marvel, with Jake Schreier directing, taking what they want to do, adding my own sauce, and then going from there,” she said.
Her comments reflect an approach that combines respect for the character’s history with a desire to bring her own interpretation to the role. Reports indicate that Navarrette beat several other established actresses to secure the part. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige reportedly announced her casting at Disney’s D23 convention in Anaheim in August.
The upcoming X-Men film is directed by Jake Schreier, whose credits include Thunderbolts and Paper Towns. The screenplay is credited to Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo, and the film is scheduled to open in theatres on May 5, 2028.
Alongside Navarrette as Rogue, the reported cast includes Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Maya Boyd as Storm, Asa Germann as Angel and Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister. Sink has also been associated with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, although the details of her role in that film should be distinguished from her reported casting as Jean Grey.
Navarrette’s rise to this moment has been rapid. Obsession, the A24 horror film directed by Curry Barker, has been described as one of the year’s notable commercial successes, bringing the actor increased attention and strengthening her profile in Hollywood. Focus Features has reportedly launched an awards campaign for her performance in the film. She is also scheduled to host Saturday Night Live on October 31 and has already filmed a leading role in another horror film, Invertigo.
Her move from a breakout horror performance to one of Marvel’s most recognisable comic-book characters marks a significant step in her career. Rogue’s history brings its own expectations, particularly around the character’s voice, personality and distinctive place in the X-Men universe. Navarrette’s brief rendition of “Sugar” does not establish what her final performance will sound like, but it has offered fans an early indication of the direction she may take.
One word on a red carpet in Toronto was enough to reignite the conversation around Rogue’s return. The accent is still a work in progress, but Navarrette has made clear that she intends to give it the attention the character’s history demands.
