Warner Bros
In a movie filled with outlandish character names —Teyana Taylor is Perfidia Beverly Hills while Sean Penn plays the furious army officer Steven J. Lockjaw — it’s the name of one of its actors that lingers in the memory the longest after the end of One Battle After Another. Chase Inifiniti, a name that’s as much an inspirational mantra as a traditional moniker, made her big screen debut in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ramshackle action movie this past weekend, playing the daughter of Leonardo DiCaprio’s perma-stoned ex-revolutionary Bob Ferguson. She was a virtual unknown before the movie opened on September 26 but now looks set to establish herself alongside her A-list castmates after delivering a performance that elevates a movie already being discussed as one of the best of the century so far.
Infiniti plays Willa, the first born child of Perfidia Beverly Hills and Bob Ferguson, though her character appears on screen before she does. In one of the most striking images of the movie, Perfidia rests a machine gun against her pregnant belly and rattles off a round of fire. If ever a child could get a sense of the life they’re going to lead, that will do it. Perfidia and Bob are members of the French 75, a group of roving militants who free imprisoned migrants and bomb the offices of pro-life politicians. Their mission is to make America “free from fear” but a failed mission results in Perfidia vanishing and Bob being forced to live off-grid as he raises their daughter. It’s 16 years later, in the film’s present day section, when Infiniti first appears on screen. Like many of the children of parents who don’t conform to societal norms, she is mature beyond her years. In comedic scenes between the pair, she chastises him for drunk driving while he struggles to learn the pronouns of her schoolfriend, showing that even the most radical figures are susceptible to old age. Later, as the movie turns into a father-daughter epic, DiCaprio’s character is forced to shake off his hazy demeanor in order to save Willa when she’s taken by the authorities still seeking justice for the French 75’s actions.
Infiniti plays both the damsel-in-distress and teen coming-of-age role with a confidence that belies her relative industry inexperience. I was struck by how well she holds her own alongside DiCaprio, Penn, and Benicio del Toro as her karate instructor Sensei Sergio, a trio of established actors that could easily intimidate anyone younger. Infiniti injects the role of Willa with the vulnerability of a teen craving a normal life, something that is beyond what a single father who has spent his life on the run can give her. In a movie about protecting children from malicious characters and structural inequality, Infiniti gives Willa a steeliness that makes you leave the theater thinking having faith in the kids isn’t misplaced.
Director Anderson told Vanity Fair that he saw “every young woman in the United States and beyond” before casting Infiniti after seeing her self-tape audition video. It makes sense why he wanted to get the part right: One Battle After Another is a deeply personal film from the father of four who says he began writing it nearly two decades ago after the birth of his first daughter. The movie weaves in contemporary themes of immigration raids and right-wing lunacy (plus a fun needle drop of Sheck Wes’s “Mo Bamba”) but, at its core, is about the dynamic between Bob and Willa. That’s a lot to ask of an untested actor but Infiniti proves experience isn’t necessary when you already possess a calm gravitas that captures both the innocence and the ferocity of a daughter of a revolutionary.
Infiniti’s only credit prior to this was in Apple TV+ show Presumed Innocent, again starring opposite a big name actor as Jake Gyllenhaal’s daughter. Next up she will return to TV with a role in the The Handmaid’s Tale sequel The Testaments, due in 2026. Outside of acting she’s also in a fun dance troupe called the Duple Dance Crew whose K-pop performances are likely getting a lot more attention than they were a few weeks ago. As for her name, Chase was inspired by Nicole Kidman's Dr. Chase Meridian from 1995's Batman Forever while Infiniti is a nod to Buzz Lightyear’s Toy Story catchphrase, she revealed in an interview. Her parents might not be famous, but they sure love movies.
In a sea of uninspired nepo baby casting, Infiniti stands out for her star-making performance done the old-fashioned way. She’s standing tall against some of the best actors of their generation and holding her own.