Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox gave fans their wish to have the X-Men join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fast forward several years later, and that reboot is finally taking shape, with director Jake Schreier at the helm. The X-Men cast is also filling out and, as part of that, Obsession’s Inde Navarrette is playing Rogue. There's a lot to consider with the beloved character and, as of late, I've been wondering how Navarrette will approach the superhuman’s southern accent. Thankfully, her take on that proves just how seriously she's taking her MCU role.
Fans’ original guesses regarding who Inde Navarrette would play in X-Men included characters like Mystique, Kitty Pryde, Laura Kinney and Psylocke. At this point, though fans seem psyched that she'll likely be playing the mutant with white-highlighted hair and the ability to absorb powers. Just recently Navarette caught up with ET and was asked about what she's thinking in regard to Rogue's southern way of speaking. And it sounds like she's really been doing her homework:
So I've never told this publicly, I completely forgot, but I have a divorced family, and I grew up in Texas for a good majority of my life. So, honestly, those Southern women are really my favorite. Corpus Christi is the city, specifically. So I just remember, you know, the old Southern women that I really, really love. But, specifically, Mississippi, Rogue is from Mississippi. So I'm really just — I want to go there. I really want to do her justice.
I’m glad the 13 Reasons Why actress is really giving thought to the character's accent. During the first installment of 20th Century Fox’s X-Men movie series, Anna Paquin’s version of Rogue had a slightly southern accent. However, as the movies went on, that accent essentially became non-existent.
So it's great that Navarrette -- along with her collaborators -- are seeking to accurately portray the young superhero as presented in the comics. It's also sweet that she's looking to draw on her own southern roots as a way of informing her performance. Not all southern accents are the same, of course, so she will indeed need to zero in on that Mississippi dialect for the upcoming Marvel movie.
I’ve got to say that I’m excited for a new Rogue. As much as I love Anna Paquin’s portrayal, the famed Marvel character is completely underused in the Fox movies. She's either portrayed as a damsel in distress or a solemn young women struggling with her powers being a curse rather than a gift. My hope is that Navarette potrays the character with the vigor and wit she possesses in the comics.
Rogue aside, Marvel Studios is crafting quite a lineup for its X-Men film in terms of both cast and characters. Joining Navarette is Sadie Sink, who reprises her role as Jean Grey from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Kit Connor (Cyclops), Christopher Abbott (Professor X), Maya Boyd (Storm), Samara Weaving (Emma Frost) and Adam Driver (Mister Sinister). Talk about a sweet ensemble.
I'm exciting to see all of these MCU newcomers take on their roles, but I'm particularly eager to see Navarrette take on the mutant Southern Belle. Should the actress truly commit to her craft, the first time she says "Sugah!" could be downright perfect.
See Inde Navarrette in the upcoming X-Men movie, which hits theaters on May 5th, 2028. You can also revisit the original film franchise that started it all using a Disney+ subscription.
