Jaafar Jackson and Nine Peers Debate Craft at Balboa Bay

Jaafar Jackson, Inde Navarrette, and eight other performers appeared at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, California, on October 18. They represented the 2026 Variety Actors to Watch list during a moderated conversation with the Newport Beach Film Festival.

The ten actors included Ray Nicholson, Esmé Creed-Miles, Mariana Di Girólamo, Rosalind Eleazar, Guitarricadelafuente, Summer H. Howell, Ruth Madeley, and Joseph Zada. Their recent credits span films such as “Michael,” “Obsession,” “The Mosquito Bowl,” and “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”

Navarrette addressed the difficulty of portraying Nikki in “Obsession.” She noted that very little of the real-life subject appeared in the script. “It was really just my first opportunity where I kind of had the freedom, to a certain extent, to do whatever I could,” Navarrette said. She added that audience members, particularly women, have told her they see themselves in the character’s complexity.

Jackson discussed his preparation for playing his uncle, Michael Jackson. He aimed to project the experience of a seasoned performer rather than a debutant. “I just wanted it to come across as I’ve done films before,” Jackson stated. He emphasized the need to maintain a specific presence and awareness of how to move through a space, noting that scenes often unfold differently than written on the page.

Jackson explained that he prepared for the possibility that something could change on the day of filming. He described his goal as remaining in the mind of the character to ensure the performance remained consistent despite unexpected shifts in the production environment.

The panel concluded with the actors remaining available for press engagements following their festival appearance. The event served as the primary public introduction of the 2026 watchlist cohort to industry professionals and media attendees.