Raúl Castillo is everywhere lately. From the gritty intensity of Cassandro to the quiet, heartbreaking brilliance of Looking, the guy has range. But let’s be real. When people heard he was joining the cast for the sequel to Parker Finn’s 2022 horror juggernaut, the internet basically lost its mind. Why? Because the first movie wasn't just a hit; it was a cultural reset for jump-scare cinema. Raúl Castillo Smile 2 rumors started flying the second his name appeared on the call sheet, and honestly, the reality of his performance is a lot more complex than just being another victim of the entity.
He’s not just a body in a chair.
Castillo plays Morris. If you’ve seen the movie, you know he’s basically the only person in the entire franchise who treats the curse like a biological problem rather than a ghost story. It’s a massive shift in tone. While Naomi Scott’s Skye Riley is spiraling into a world of neon lights and blood-soaked rehearsals, Castillo provides this grounded, almost clinical anchor. He’s the guy in the shadows of the bar, the one with the IV bags and the desperate plan.
The Morris Factor: Why Raúl Castillo is the MVP of Smile 2
Most horror sequels just ramp up the gore. They do. They just make everything louder and redder. But Parker Finn did something smarter here. He introduced a character who actually understands the mechanics of the trauma-demon.
Morris isn't a hero in the traditional sense. He's a grieving brother. He’s driven by this frantic, messy need for revenge because the entity took his brother, and he couldn't stop it. When we first see Raúl Castillo in the film, he’s haggard. He looks like he hasn't slept in three weeks, which, considering the lore of the movie, he probably hasn't.
Breaking Down the "Medical" Solution
The big twist with his character involves a localized cardiac arrest. It sounds insane. Basically, the theory is that if you "die" (clinically) and then get resuscitated, the entity has nowhere to go. It’s a loophole. Castillo sells this with a level of frantic intensity that makes you actually believe it might work.
He’s fast-talking. He’s sweating.
The scene in the abandoned Pizza Hut (rest in peace, 90s nostalgia) is easily one of the most tense sequences in the film. It’s not just about the jump scares there; it’s about the raw, human desperation Castillo brings to the table. You want him to be right. You need him to be right because Skye is so clearly beyond saving otherwise.
How Raúl Castillo Smile 2 Performances Differ from the First Film
In the original Smile, we had Kal Penn. He played the boss, the skeptic, the guy who represented the "system" that fails the protagonist. Raúl Castillo is the opposite. He’s the outsider. He’s the guy who has been discarded by the system because he knows the truth.
There is a specific nuance to the way Castillo uses his voice. He has this gravelly, hushed tone throughout most of his scenes with Skye. It creates an intimacy that feels dangerous. You’re never quite sure if he’s a savior or just another manifestation of her breakdown. That ambiguity is exactly what makes the sequel work better than the original for many critics.
- The stakes are personal: He’s not a doctor investigating a case; he’s a man trying to kill a god.
- The physicality: Castillo moves with a jittery energy that contrasts perfectly with Naomi Scott’s polished pop-star persona.
- The emotional weight: His backstory provides the only real lore-dump that doesn't feel like a boring exposition scene.
Honestly, the chemistry between Castillo and Scott is the secret sauce of the second act. Without his grounded presence, the movie might have floated away into being just another flashy music video horror flick. He brings the dirt. He brings the reality of what this curse does to a regular person who doesn't have a security team or a multi-million dollar penthouse.
Why the Entity Chose This Specific Path
The entity in these movies feeds on trauma. We know this. But with Morris, we see a different kind of trauma—the trauma of the survivor.
Castillo portrays a man who is living in the "after." He’s already seen the smile. He’s already heard the screams. By the time he meets Skye, he’s a shell. It’s a bold choice for an actor known for being quite charismatic. He suppresses all that natural charm to play someone who is essentially a walking ghost.
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Some fans were annoyed that he didn't get more screen time. I get it. I really do. When you have an actor of his caliber, you want him in every frame. But his absence in certain parts of the movie actually serves the narrative. It makes his appearances feel like a lifeline. Every time he shows up, the audience breathes a sigh of relief, which is exactly how Skye feels. And that’s when the movie pulls the rug out from under you.
The Final Act Confusion
Let’s talk about that ending. Without spoiling the absolute chaos of the final fifteen minutes, Castillo’s character represents the "Plan A" that goes horribly, catastrophically wrong.
It’s a bleak realization.
If a guy as smart and dedicated as Morris can’t figure out a way to beat this thing, what hope does a pop star have? The hopelessness is the point. Castillo’s performance is the bridge between the audience's hope and the film's nihilism.
The Evolution of Raúl Castillo’s Career
It’s wild to look back at Looking and then see him in this. He’s transitioned from an indie darling to a legitimate genre powerhouse.
He brings a "theatre-kid" level of preparation to these roles. You can tell he’s thought about Morris’s entire life before the camera started rolling. He doesn't just "act" scared; he acts like a man who has lived with fear for so long that it’s become a part of his DNA. It’s a subtle distinction, but it’s why his scenes stick with you longer than the CGI monsters do.
People often overlook the "supportive" roles in horror. They shouldn't. The protagonist is the one we follow, but the supporting cast builds the world. Raúl Castillo built a world where the Smile curse isn't just a movie monster—it's a plague.
Actionable Takeaways for Horror Fans
If you're watching Smile 2 specifically for Raúl Castillo, or if you're just a fan of the franchise looking for more depth, keep these things in mind:
Watch the eyes.
Castillo does a lot of work with his gaze. In his first meeting with Skye, notice how he never looks at her face for more than a second. He’s constantly scanning the room. He’s looking for the entity. It’s a brilliant bit of character work that shows his constant state of hyper-vigilance.
Listen to the silence.
The scenes between Morris and Skye are surprisingly quiet compared to the rest of the film’s booming soundtrack. This is intentional. It forces you to lean in, to listen to the desperation in his voice. It’s where the real horror lives—in the quiet realization that there might not be a way out.
Re-watch the first film’s "explanation" scenes.
If you go back and watch how the curse was explained in the first movie, you’ll see how much Morris’s theories actually evolve the lore. He’s not repeating what we already know; he’s pushing the boundaries of what the audience thinks is possible in this universe.
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Follow Castillo’s indie work.
To really appreciate what he does here, you should check out The Inspector or We the Animals. Seeing his range in those smaller, more intimate dramas makes his turn in a massive horror sequel even more impressive. He brings that same "small movie" intensity to the big screen.
Raúl Castillo didn't just join a sequel; he elevated it. He took a role that could have been a generic "informant" trope and turned it into the emotional heartbeat of a nightmare. Whether he returns for a third installment remains to be seen—given the nature of these movies, anything is possible—but his impact on the Smile mythos is permanent. He gave the curse a human face to fight against, and even if he didn't win, he made the struggle worth watching.
The next step for any fan is to dive into the director's commentary if you have the chance. Parker Finn has been very vocal about why Castillo was the only choice for Morris, citing his ability to stay "human" even when the world around him is melting into supernatural chaos. It’s that humanity that makes the horror hurt so much more.