2026's Obsession may never have confirmed whether Nikki really had feelings for Bear, but the movie's star has the answers. Focus Features' new indie horror, Obsession, recently opened to strong reactions and box-office success. It recounts the twisted romance story of Bear (Michael Johnston), who makes a wish with a supernatural toy to have his crush and longtime friend, Nikki (Inde Navarette), love him more than anyone. Of course, in classic horror fashion, Nikki's love goes too far, culminating in terrifying obsession and multiple deaths.
Speaking at an Obsession Q&A event (via @thisbadwitch), Nikki actor Inde Navarette finally confirmed whether her real character had a crush on Bear before the supernatural wish left her madly in love with him. First up, Navarette was open that "Nikki's intentions are really confusing," but that was entirely on purpose because "the whole movie is from Bear's perspective," who is arguably even more in the dark than the audience:
"You're in the car, and Nikki's intentions are really confusing, right? So, it's like, does she like him? Does she not like him? When she's like, 'Tell me right now if you like me or not,' and he goes, 'No, we're just friends." Is there disappointment? Is there not? And that's kind of the point. It's because the whole movie is from Bear's perspective."
The actress pointed out that "Bear has no idea the way that Nikki actually feels about him," which led to plenty of discussion between her and directed Curry Barker in developing her performance and character:
"Bear has no idea the way that Nikki actually feels about him. And of course, like me and [director Curry Barker] were doing character work of, 'Where am I coming from?' because I'm playing the character, playing that kind of double-edged sword, playing what Bear would perceive, but also, at the same time, playing what she would naturally feel."
Offering up her perspective as the actress behind Nikki, Navarette shared her belief that she "did have a crush on him, because he's a good guy:"
"So I think, speaking as the woman who played Nikki, I think that Nikki did have a crush on him, because he's a good guy. In the beginning, it's not Ian that she has been hooking up with. She talks about the difference between love and romance and how she doesn't wanna be stuck anymore."
She continued to explain how the "intimacy" between Nikki and Bear, in part, stems from her ability to have some conversations with him and only him:
"She's such a free bird. She wants to go. She can ask for help. But she can only have these conversations with Bear. Of course, that creates intimacy. So there are just so many things that are left up in the air, but that's kinda the point, because it is from Bear's perspective, we're not supposed to know. But if you want to know what I think is in Nikki's mind. I think that she did have some feelings for him."
Obsession is playing now in theaters worldwide, starring Michael Johnston, Ide Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, and Megan Lawless. While the Curry Barker-directed indie flick has come and gone, there are many more major horror movies coming this year, including Clayface and Evil Dead Burn.
Nikki's True Feelings For Bear Have Major Implications For 'Obsession'
Learning that Nikki always had feelings for Bear, to some degree, only makes Obsession's twisted events that much more heartbreaking. After all, if Bear had simply answered "yes" when Nikki asked if he had feelings for her in the car before the wish, none of the movie's events would have transpired.
In an alternate universe where Bear simply came clean with Nikki from the get-go, the lifelong friends could have gotten the "happily ever after" ending that he always wanted, and possibly she did too. That said, the inevitable revelation that Nikki had been hooking up with Ian secretly for roughly two years before then could have one day formed a major obstacle in their romance.
Obsession offered audiences mixed signals on whether Nikki had feelings for Bear, reflecting his own perception of the situation. For instance, Nikki once described to Sarah that she sees him as a "little brother," and yet Nikki pressed Bear for the truth about his feelings in the car, which would be a rather strange thing to do if she wouldn't reciprocate that romantic interest.
Interestingly, the Obsession star also addressed Nikki's true feelings with The Hollywood Reporter, who asked her whether her character would have been open to "something more" if Bear was honest. Navarette was clear that she "completely [thinks]" that Nikki was open to a relationship if Bear had simply been honest about his feelings, calling it a "little disappointing" that he didn't know how she truly felt:
"I completely think so... But I think, as the person who played Nikki, she definitely would have been open to the conversation if he had just said something, but he didn’t. Nikki’s an extremely free-spirited person, because she talks about quitting, she talks about leaving, she talks about wanting to become a writer. I think Nikki loves, and she loves to love. It was a little disappointing that he also thought they were friends, because I think she felt a vibe."
In terms of what comes next for Nikki after Obsession, Navarette "[thinks] she starts a grieving process" after enduring a rather controlling process, but, ultimately, said "where else is she gonna go" other than to jail. Furthermore, the actress was clear that she "absolutely would" return for a sequel if asked, but generally "really [loves] the idea that it's kind of left there."
