Parker Finn Opens Up About Casting Ray Nicholson For ‘Smile 2’

‘Smile 2’ director Parker Finn discussed the horror sequel and its casting in a recent report by Deadline. He revealed that he cast actor Ray Nicholson in the Naomi Scott starrer as an homage to his “favourite film of all time,” Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’.

“I think I’m always trying to reference The Shining,” he said. “With Ray, he auditioned for that role. The audition was so strong. Of course, Jack Nicholson is one of my favorite actors of all time. I love that Ray has very strong genes, and his smile, instantly, I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s like looking at a young Jack,'” he added.

Finn continued, “What really struck me was how well he slipped into that venomous but charming character he’s playing in the film. He could bring again that feeling of, I’m really, really anxious, but part of it is also tickling me.”

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While Finn mentioned that he did not originate the role of Paul, the late actor husband to Scott’s global pop star character Skye Riley, he described the casting as “wonderful kismet.”

The sequel to the 2022 horror film follows Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), a famous pop singer. The story revolves around a mysterious entity that manifests as people creepily smiling, which terrifies a psychiatrist played by Sosie Bacon. The pop sensation also finds herself haunted by horrifying incidents.

‘Smile 2’, which premiered in theaters on Friday, explores how a pop phenomenon copes with the inexplicable and escalating effects of a haunting smiling figure that follows her wherever she goes. For the Paramount sequel, which also features Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raul Castillo, and Dylan Gelula, Finn drew inspiration from the real-life struggles of women impacted by the often brutal nature of fame, including Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, and Britney Spears, as reported by Deadline.

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