‘Obsession’ Stars Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston Reunite at Colman Domingo’s Pre-Gala Dinner, and Fans Are Swooning

Few film partnerships have captured the internet’s attention this year quite like the one between Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston. Their horror hit became one of 2026’s biggest surprises, and fans have been hungry for any sign of the 2 stars sharing a room again. The Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston reunion arrived this week at a very glamorous Hollywood dinner.

The pair was photographed together at the pre-Academy Museum Gala dinner hosted by Colman Domingo. The setting was a dark, red-booth restaurant, and the pictures show the 2 friends laughing and clearly enjoying the night.

In the photos, Navarrette wears a black coat with fur trim and dark-rimmed glasses, grinning widely as she holds up a copy of W Magazine with her own face on the cover. Johnston sits at a nearby table in a light blue shirt, looking over at the group in what appears to be mid-conversation, with plates of food in front of him. The mood is warm, relaxed and a little silly.

The dinner came ahead of the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala, held on October 17 in Los Angeles, where Domingo is being honored alongside Charlize Theron and filmmaker John Carpenter. The event has become a reliably starry fundraiser, often described as a West Coast rival to the Met Gala.

Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston reunited at the pre-Academy Museum Gala dinner hosted by Colman Domingo. 📷 https://t.co/nzaXAHxTeE

— Film Crave (@_filmcrave) October 17, 2026

The reason this reunion hits is the film that brought them together. ‘Obsession’, directed by Curry Barker, opened in theaters on May 15 and quickly became a phenomenon. It follows Bear, played by Johnston, a lovesick young man who breaks a mysterious One Wish Willow to make his crush, Nikki, played by Navarrette, love him more than anyone in the world.

The monkey’s paw-style horror had a tiny budget of $750,000 and went on to earn more than $400 million worldwide, according to Fangoria’s coverage. That made it Focus Features’ highest-grossing film ever and one of the biggest movies of the year, and it later arrived on Peacock on July 17.

Navarrette is at the center of much of that buzz. The film was her first horror project, and critics have singled out her performance as a standout, saying she elevates the story. She also did her own stunts, which only added to her reputation as a rising star.

Her moment is now spilling into fashion. Navarrette appears on W Magazine’s ‘The New Originals’ issue for October 2026, modeling pieces from Dior Haute Couture, Marc Jacobs and Bottega Veneta in a shoot that looks nothing like her usual red-carpet appearances. The copy she held up at the dinner is that very cover, which explains the playful energy in the photos.

Navarrette’s career is about to get even bigger. She is reportedly set to play Rogue in Marvel’s X-Men reboot, and she has been preparing by studying the character and working on a Mississippi accent. Reported cast members include Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Charles Xavier and Adam Driver as Mister Sinister.

Johnston, known for his role as Corey Bryant on ‘Teen Wolf’, has also seen his profile soar thanks to the film’s success. His chemistry with Navarrette has been widely praised as natural, which helps explain why fans love seeing them together off screen.

The film’s success has also launched Barker into a new phase. ‘Obsession’ was only his second feature, following his 2024 debut ‘Milk & Serial’, which he made for $800 and released for free on YouTube. He is now set to direct a new ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ movie at A24, along with a Blumhouse project called ‘Anything But Ghosts’.

For his stars, the momentum shows no sign of fading. The film also earned 4 Chainsaw Awards nominations, including Best Wide Release, Best Lead Performance, Best Screenplay and Best Director.

The gala itself brings together major names, with a host committee that includes Questlove, Judd Apatow, Teyana Taylor, Ludwig Göransson, Seth Rogen and Demi Moore. Steven Spielberg, Kate Capshaw and Robert Rodriguez serve as co-chairs, and last year’s edition raised more than $12 million for the museum.

Against that backdrop, a casual dinner photo might seem small, but it carries real meaning for fans. It shows the 2 leads of a horror phenomenon happily reuniting among Hollywood’s elite, which feels like a fitting reward for such a breakout year.

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