Smile 2 star Naomi Scott has added her name to the growing list of recent genre performances that deserve(d) awards consideration. From James McAvoy (Split) and Toni Collette (Hereditary) to Lupita Nyong’o (Us) and Mia Goth (Pearl), Scott is the latest example of an actor whose committed work in a highly difficult role shouldn’t be overlooked just because of the genre in which it resides. It’s well past time to have more than a half-dozen exceptions who managed to take home Oscar statuettes via the horror genre, such as Ruth Gordon (Rosemary’s Baby), Kathy Bates (Misery) and Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs).

In Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 smash hit, Scott plays Skye Riley, a troubled pop star who’s attempting to mount a comeback after surviving a car accident that took the life of her equally famous boyfriend, Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson). Skye’s return...