Inde Navarrette as Rogue sparks mixed reactions among fans after X-Men casting reveal

Inde Navarrette has faced a wave of criticism online after Marvel Studios confirmed her as Rogue in the upcoming X-Men film, with some fans objecting to alleged social media support for Johnny Depp while others have defended the actor's casting.

Fans have mixed reactions over Inde Navarrette's casting as Rogue

Marvel Studios executive Kevin Feige announced the first members of the new mutant team during Disney's D23 presentation on Friday. Navarrette will play Rogue alongside Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Christopher Abbott as Professor X and Maya Boyd as Storm. Adam Driver has also been cast as the villainous Mr Sinister.

The casting announcement quickly prompted discussion on social media, with some users focusing on Navarrette's alleged liking of posts concerning Depp and his highly publicised legal disputes with Amber Heard.

One reaction read: “we’re cancelling..inde navarette.. for liking a post..about johnny depp..? when will yall get bored oh my gof (sic).”

Another user wrote: “why r u so upset abt the rogue casting” because inde navarette supports a man who dated and tried to marry a 17 yr old winona ryder, raped his ex-wife, abused her, and joked abt killing her. #NOTMYROGUE (sic)"

Other reactions were more supportive of Navarrette and questioned the scale of the backlash. One post asked: “Wait why does everyone hate inde navarette all of a sudden? (sic)”

Another user claimed: “the male incel fandom inde navarette has garnered is mad as shit lol (sic)”

Navarrette's relatively short acting career also became a point of discussion. One user wrote: “inde navarette really went from twitch streamer, to small horror indie film actress, to the MCU’s next rogue (sic).”

Others were considerably harsher, with one post stating, “INDE NAVARETTE IS NOT A LEGITIMATE ACTRESS (sic)”, while another said, “Inde Navarette already chained to superhero garbage she’s really not a legitimate actress whatsoever (sic)”

Several fans, however, pushed back against what they saw as inconsistent standards surrounding actors' personal views and social media activity. One reaction said, “i’m ngl i can’t take some of the inde navarette hate seriously when yall have no problem praising other actors who love depp, shia labeouf, jonathan majors, michael fassbender, etc (sic).”

Another user argued, “i don't think Inde Navarette has to make statements about her Instagram likes on the Johnny Depp astroturfed smear campaign but it's still bleak that she most likely sided with the mega-abuser (sic).”

There were also fans willing to reserve judgement until Navarrette appears as Rogue. One wrote, “gonna slightly give inde navarrette as rogue a chance cause she’s a cute girlie and people don’t give male depp supporters this same slack (sic).”

The casting has also attracted positive reactions from fans who see Navarrette's appointment as an opportunity to bring a different dimension to the character. One post said, “I just realized, since Inde Navarrette got casted, Rogue is gonna be not only Southern, but also Latina in the MCU!! For personal reasons that's extra special to me 🥹 (sic)”

Another defended her acting ability, writing, “People randomly hating Inde Navarrette when the one performance we all saw her in she was fantastic (sic).”

More about X-Men

Rogue is one of the most recognisable characters in Marvel's X-Men mythology. Known for her ability to absorb another person's memories, powers and abilities through physical contact, she has traditionally been portrayed as a Southern character and has played a major role in several X-Men storylines.

Navarrette's casting therefore represents a significant opportunity for Marvel to introduce a new interpretation of the character to the MCU. The studio has not yet revealed detailed plot information about the film or explained how Rogue and the other mutants will be introduced into the wider MCU.

The new X-Men film is scheduled for release on May 5, 2028, with Marvel expected to reveal further details about the cast, characters and story as production progresses.