Meet Chase Infiniti, the Unstoppable Star Taking Over Hollywood One Film at a Time

Get ready to hear a name a lot. Leonardo DiCaprio might headline Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, One Battle After Another, but it is Chase Infiniti who will leave audiences talking. This 25-year-old actor makes her feature film introduction playing Charlene, also known as Willa, a 16-year-old navigating her revolutionary parents' eventful past. While DiCaprio is the lead actor, the story truly belongs to Infiniti. Critics are already taking notice, with Vulture's Alison Willmore noting Infiniti has a "clear-eyed, stirring gravitas that belies her age." The film follows Charlene's journey from a headstrong teenager to a cautious, clever, and strong adult. A significant part of Infiniti's appeal comes from her being largely unknown. The film is full of big names like DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Regina Hall, and Benicio del Toro, but Infiniti, a newcomer, carries the film's deep emotional journey. So, who exactly is she? Let's uncover everything you need to know about this year's brightest new face.

Unpacking the Actor Behind the Character: Who is Chase Infiniti

Before One Battle After Another hit the big screens, Chase Infiniti was not a household name. Yet, she handles the intensity of a major motion picture with the ease of a veteran. Her presence in the film's trailers, firing an assault rifle while wearing a frilly ballet skirt and combat boots, or kicking through a cop car's glass partition, has already captured public interest. She even leads the film's social media efforts, guiding her famous costars through viral videos. Louis Vuitton's Nicolas Ghesquière has dressed her for the film's world premieres, placing her among muses like Emma Stone and Blackpink's Lisa. It's a lot of responsibility, but Infiniti remains calm. She wants people to connect with the movie, to laugh, and for it to move them. She feels that is the real measure of success.

More Than Just a Name: Chase Infiniti's Unexpected Beginning

Is "Chase Infiniti" her actual name? Yes, it is! Born Chase Infiniti Payne, she later decided to go by her first and middle names. Her family raised her in Indianapolis. Her father owns a construction company and her mother was a stay-at-home parent. Her unique first name is a nod to Nicole Kidman's character, Chase Meridian, in Batman Forever, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Her middle name pays homage to Buzz Lightyear's famous phrase in Toy Story: "To infinity, and beyond!" She might not be from an acting family, but she certainly had a star-like name from the start. Her parents never intended for her to pursue Hollywood, but they hoped the name would inspire general greatness. As a child, Infiniti showed a strong interest in performing. She loved musicals and often put on small shows with her younger sister, Dolce Imani. She even watched Hairspray daily for six months. Her mother noticed this passion and encouraged her to audition for a local musical theater show at age 10. Infiniti initially went along, but after that audition, she knew she wanted to act for life. She booked her first role in a local Hairspray production, and it was then she decided to use her stage name, dropping her last name at age 10. Her parents supported her, saying they gave her a star name, so she should use it.

From Theater Stages to Apple TV+: Her Path to the Screen

Before her big film introduction, Infiniti attended Columbia College in Chicago, studying musical theater. Her college years happened during the pandemic, meaning she took acting classes online and in masked, distant rooms. This experience prepared her well for today's self-tape and virtual callback audition method. After graduating in 2022, she planned to move to New York for theater auditions. However, a manager signed her and put her up for film and television roles instead. She recalls her parents asking if she was comfortable with this different path. She thought she might get a small role in a film or series to earn extra money alongside a theater career. Soon after, she found herself auditioning for the Apple TV+ limited series, Presumed Innocent. This was her true entry into screen acting.

Her role in Presumed Innocent, where she portrayed Jake Gyllenhaal's and Ruth Negga's daughter, Jaden, was described as "deft." Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi praised Infiniti's work, stating she conveyed a teenage girl's despair as she realizes her father might not be a hero. Hadadi added that this role was excellent preparation for playing DiCaprio's character's daughter. Infiniti shared that Gyllenhaal was the first celebrity she met. She received the role and moved to Los Angeles for the shoot at 23, her first time living alone and on a film set. Ruth Negga, her onscreen mother, commented on Infiniti's excitement and instinctual acting. Infiniti even spent her days off on set, observing the veteran actors, a suggestion from director Anne Sewitsky. This helped her gain confidence. By the time she returned to LA for Paul Thomas Anderson's film, she was comfortable and thriving in the city.

Securing the Role of a Lifetime in Paul Thomas Anderson's Film

The story of how Infiniti got cast in One Battle After Another sounds like a dream for many aspiring actors. She secured the role directly from her self-tape audition, according to Vanity Fair. Anderson mentioned he considered "every young woman in the United States and beyond" before choosing Infiniti. For her part, when she sent in her audition, she knew little about the famous actors involved or Anderson's prior work. She told Vanity Fair, "I was not familiar with Paul’s work. But I was like, it sounds cool. I’d love to do something action." After her self-tape, she screen-tested with DiCaprio. The final decision came after Anderson observed her in a karate class. She was the only white belt among many brown and purple belts, trying her best not to look foolish. He hired her on the spot after seeing her in action.

Working with Film Icons: Behind the Scenes of One Battle After Another

Infiniti sent her first self-tape for One Battle After Another in March 2023, while still filming Presumed Innocent. She quickly understood the character of Willa, the daughter of former leftist revolutionaries, Bob (played by DiCaprio) and Perfidia (played by Taylor). Willa finds herself targeted by their past adversary, Steven Lockjaw. In the film, Willa and Bob are in hiding in rural Colorado; Bob is paranoid and Willa is a rebellious high school student. Infiniti connected with Willa's teenage confidence, the feeling of thinking you know everything. After her initial tape, she did not hear back for a month. Then, she was asked to fly back to LA for a camera test and audition just before the writers' strike began. She familiarized herself with Anderson's filmography, watching films like Phantom Thread, Licorice Pizza, and Boogie Nights. When the strikes ended, Anderson called her back for another round. This time, he wanted to watch her during fight training, given Willa's physical role which includes fights with Sean Penn's character. After the karate class, he hired her immediately.

Infiniti then started months of intense preparation, traveling to LA for mixed martial arts training and costume fittings. She even wears the same outfit in every scene of the film. Even seasoned actors like Regina Hall, who plays a revolutionary watching over Willa, found the scale of Anderson's most costly film challenging. Hall mentioned that everything Anderson creates feels new, requiring actors to give him great trust. Infiniti followed Hall's lead, trusting Anderson's direction and spending many of her days off on set to learn from him. DiCaprio was impressed by how well she fit in with the experienced cast. He remembered his own first film set and how quickly Infiniti formed a bond with Anderson, like a teacher and student. He felt she was "born for this," acting as if she had been doing it forever. Hall described watching Infiniti as seeing a new generation of talent come to life. By the end of the shoot, Infiniti was amazed at her own skills, learning to film fight scenes, shoot a prop automatic rifle, and even drive a car during a chase scene while handcuffed.

The Road Ahead: What's Next for This Rapidly Rising Star

While One Battle After Another was in production, Presumed Innocent premiered. This shielded Infiniti from the initial rush of attention. She could not even attend the premiere due to her filming schedule. She also admits to being terrified before her first promotional interviews. She sought advice from Ruth Negga on what a "press tour" even was. Negga wisely told her to take vitamin C and surround herself with good people.

As One Battle After Another hits theaters, Infiniti's profile is growing within the industry. After the first trailer appeared online, other directors started reaching out. Tyler, the Creator, saw the trailer and cast her in his music video for "Darling, I." Her next significant project is a starring spot in The Testaments, Bruce Miller's follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale, where she plays Agnes, June (Elisabeth Moss)'s daughter. Miller watched her in Presumed Innocent, saw her audition, and even watched videos of her K-pop dances. He was struck by her ability to show many different sides of herself. The Testaments has already finished its first season and should premiere in 2026. Miller noted that Infiniti's arrival reminds him of Sydney Sweeney's early career on The Handmaid's Tale, feeling like he got a peek at her talent before everyone else. He predicts she will "explode at some point."

A Glimpse Into the Future: Her Artistic Aspirations and Favorites

Infiniti admits that she has faced much rejection, estimating she has not gotten 95 percent of the roles she has auditioned for. She feels very lucky for the roles she has booked. She also finds it funny that people do not believe her name is real. She reminds everyone, "But guys, it’s on my birth certificate. That’s really me." Her onscreen mother, Ruth Negga, points out that Infiniti has a long-term artistic vision and strong instincts. She dreams of collaborating with acclaimed directors like Greta Gerwig or Steven Spielberg. She also has a deep passion for movie musicals, hoping to be considered for the role of Natasha if Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 ever gets a film adaptation. Her advice to her younger self, a piece of wisdom she received, is: "You have nothing to prove, but everything to show."

Here are some of her film preferences:

• Favorite Paul Thomas Anderson film (besides One Battle After Another): Boogie Nights
• Favorite Leonardo DiCaprio performance: Catch Me If You Can
• Favorite Benicio del Toro movie: The Usual Suspects
• Favorite horror film: Get Out (though she calls herself a "scaredy cat")
• Movie that always makes her cry: Toy Story 3
• Funniest movie of all time: One Battle After Another (she calls it an "action comedy!")
• Directors she wants to work with next: Steven Spielberg, Greta Gerwig, or The Daniels

Why Chase Infiniti is the Actress to Keep a Close Watch On Now

Chase Infiniti is truly living an unexpected dream. This 25-year-old Indianapolis native makes a powerful film introduction in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. She takes on the role of Willa Ferguson, a teenager caught between her family's past and her own identity. A group of former revolutionaries reunites to save her after an enemy from 16 years ago reappears. Infiniti describes Willa's character as "half Paul and half me," drawing from Anderson's writing and her own life. Despite her passion for theater, she found fewer roles in college productions, instead finding openings in summer stock and community theaters. She never imagined reaching this level, saying she would have been happy with even one line in a film. Her name, a blend of a Nicole Kidman character and a Pixar phrase, now seems fitting for someone stepping into Hollywood's focus.

In One Battle After Another, Willa is a powerful young protagonist with a purple belt in martial arts and a clear sense of self. Infiniti views Willa as assertive, hopeful, and a representation of a better future. To prepare for the part, Infiniti journeyed with Anderson and DiCaprio to Eureka, California, to observe local communities and ground her understanding of Willa. She shared the screen with DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Sean Penn. A key scene with Penn, involving a tense DNA test, taught her about restraint in acting. She described it as "sparring." She deeply respects Teyana Taylor for making Perfidia even more vibrant, and Regina Hall for bringing strength and quiet force to Deandra, making her a mother figure Willa never had. Infiniti admits she is still adjusting to the attention, having no industry contacts or prior on-camera work before Anderson hired her. Her parents are immensely proud. As she says, she may not have to prove anything, but she has everything to show. And she is showing it to the world, one brilliant performance at a time.