Skye Riley

Skye Riley was the main protagonist of the 2024 American psychological horror film Smile 2.

Overview[]

Skye Riley was a Grammy-winning pop star who was in the middle of preparing for a comeback tour following a difficult period in her life. She had dealt with a highly publicized struggle with substance abuse and a car crash that resulted in the death of her boyfriend, Paul Hudson. Skye was closely supervised by her mother and manager, Elizabeth, and her assistant, Joshua, as they tried to ensure her successful return to the music scene. Throughout the movie, Skye's trauma, guilt, and addiction struggles played key roles in how she coped with the haunting experiences brought on by The Monstrosity. She was emotionally vulnerable, driven by her fame, personal demons, and complicated relationship with her mother. Despite her fame and public persona, Skye was deeply troubled, making her susceptible to the effects of the curse.

Personality Traits[]

Haunted by Guilt: Skye is deeply troubled by her role in Paul Hudson's death, which is revealed in flashbacks. This guilt is a key emotional burden throughout the film monkey.

Rebellious: Despite the close supervision of her mother and her assistant, Skye rebels against their control, sneaking out to buy drugs from Lewis.

Fragile and Vulnerable: Skye’s mental state becomes more fragile as the curse takes its toll, making her susceptible to hallucinations and panic.

Desperate for Relief: As her condition worsens, she is willing to consider extreme measures to rid herself of the curse, demonstrating her desperation to escape her mental torment.

Skye Riley's Role in the Movie[]

Introduction[]

Skye is introduced as a troubled celebrity trying to rebuild her career after a public fall from grace. She appears on the DrewBarrymore show and is preparing for a major comeback tour, but it’s clear that she hasn’t fully recovered emotionally or physically from her past traumas. Her mother, Elizabeth, keeps her under strict supervision, and Skye struggles with the pressure of her career.

First Encounter with the Curse[]

Skye’s connection to the curse begins due to her being unable to get prescription painkillers for her back injury because she has prior addiction issues. After a flare up of pain as a result of pushing herself in rehearsal, she sneaks out to buy Vicodin from Lewis, a drug dealer. At Lewis’ home, Skye witnesses the terrifying moment when Lewis, afflicted by the curse, smashes his face in with a weight plate. Traumatized, Skye flees the scene after unknowingly exposing herself to the curse.

Deterioration and Hallucinations[]

Following her exposure to the curse, Skye’s mental state quickly deteriorates. She starts experiencing hallucinations, hearing distorted voices and seeing people smiling at her unnervingly. These experiences escalate as Skye prepares for her tour, and her mother Elizabeth continues to pressure her to maintain a perfect public image despite her clear distress.

The Charity Event Incident[]

Skye is invited to speak at a charity fundraising event hosted by music executive Darius Bravo. Despite her mental breakdown, Elizabeth insists that she attends. During the event, Skye’s teleprompter malfunctions—though this is later revealed to be another hallucination—and she lashes out at the audience in an emotional tirade about how fame has not fulfilled her or solved her problems. Her mental breakdown reaches its peak when she attacks what she believes to be her dead boyfriend Paul, only for it to be revealed that she’s assaulting an elderly audience member.

Morris and the Desperate Plan[]

After her public breakdown, Skye is contacted by Morris, a man who has been tracking The Monstrosity ever since it killed his brother. Morris explains that the curse can only be passed on through witnessing a death caused by the entity and suggests a radical solution—killing and resuscitating Skye to rid her of the curse. Panicked and overwhelmed, Skye rejects this idea, but the sense of impending doom grows stronger.

Confrontation with the Entity[]

Skye’s hallucinations intensify, particularly during rehearsals when she is attacked by the entity in the form of her own backup dancers. She suffers a concussion, and in a flashback, the audience learns the truth about the car crash that killed Paul—Skye had intentionally caused the crash during a drug-induced argument.

Murder of Elizabeth[]

After her collapse, Skye wakes up in a wellness retreat, where she argues with Elizabeth over her increasingly erratic behavior and refusal to finish the tour. During this confrontation, Skye experiences another hallucination in which Elizabeth smiles at her, breaks a nearby mirror, and repeatedly stabs herself. Skye tries to run and pull out her IV drip needle and she discovers she was holding the shard of mirror. Skye discovered she stabbed her mother with a shard of a broken mirror. This act sets the stage for Skye’s final moments, as she descends into full possession by the entity.

Final Attempt to Escape[]

Skye attempts to flee, hijacking a car and involving her estranged friend Gemma in her escape. In a moment of horror, Skye realizes that the person she thought was Gemma has been the entity all along. She makes a last-ditch effort to meet with Morris, believing he might still save her. At an abandoned Pizza Hut, Morris prepares to stop Skye’s heart in the hopes of expelling the curse. However, the entity manifests itself as a younger version of Skye In the car crash, mocking her attempts to escape and reveals that morris isn’t real.

The Entity’s True Form and Skye’s Death[]

Skye believes she has stopped her heart and rid herself of the curse, only for the entity to reveal that she’s still trapped in a hallucination. The entity then locks Skye in a closet and tells her to 'break a leg'. Suddenly, she finds herself on stage at the opening night of her tour, revealing that Skye, all along, never left the dressing room. Before her, the entity takes the form of Skye as it reveals its true form—a grotesque, skinless being with multiple jaws and a terrifying, wide smile. Entranced by the entity, Skye allows it to crawl inside her body. In a final act of possession, Skye, now smiling eerily, stabs herself in the eye with her microphone, killing herself in front of a horrified audience. With her death, the curse passes on to those in attendance, including Darius, Joshua, her still-alive mother, Elizabeth, the dancers, and the security guards (and possibly anyone who saw it on TV live).

Discography[]

Trivia[]

She has Lady Gaga, Adele, and Beyoncé in her contacts, likely suggesting she has done a song with them.
As part of promotion for the film, she has her own official in-universe team accounts on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter under skyerileynation.
Skye Riley is heavily based off of Lady Gaga, as her appearance, outfits, music, and singing voice all mirror that of Lady Gaga.

Behind the Scenes[]

Skye Riley is portrayed by Naomi Scott, who is a singer in real life.
Director Parker Finn drew inspiration from the tragic lives of pop icons such as Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston to craft Skye Riley’s character.
To accurately depict a global pop sensation, Naomi Scott underwent extensive musical training.
Naomi Scott collaborated with choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall to master complex dance routines featured in the film.