Hollywood’s Newest Breakout Star Captures Attention with Powerful Performance

Rising Star Captures Hollywood’s Attention

September 28, 2025: Chase Infiniti is the breakout talent behind Willa, the daughter at the emotional center of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Despite acting opposite Hollywood heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio anLeonardo DiCaprio d Sean Penn, Infiniti’s portrayal has already garnered buzz—and even DiCaprio has publicly called her “the heart” of the film.

From Stage Dreams to Screen Breakthrough

Born Chase Infiniti Payne, she dropped her last name professionally and now goes simply by Chase Infiniti. Raised in Indianapolis, she grew up immersed in musical theater and studied performance at Columbia College Chicago. Her early passions for dance, theater, and performance helped set the foundation for her leap into film.

Before being cast in One Battle After Another, she appeared in the Apple TV+ series Presumed Innocent, where she played the daughter of Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Negga’s characters. That role was a stepping stone that showcased her ability to hold her own in emotionally complex drama.

The Role That Anchors the Story

In One Battle After Another, Infiniti plays Willa (also referred to in some sources as Charlene), the daughter of Bob Ferguson, played by DiCaprio. The plot follows Bob’s desperate mission to rescue his daughter after she goes missing, with Willa serving as the emotional grounding of the narrative. Her character’s relationship with her father drives much of the film’s heart and tension.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson has publicly remarked that her character is central to the film’s emotional core—less a plot device and more its emotional anchor.

Not Just Acting—Physicality and Range

Infiniti isn’t just delivering an emotionally resonant performance—she’s also bringing physical rigor. She has a background in kickboxing and martial arts, skills that helped her embody Willa’s toughness and adaptability in a story that demands both action and emotional weight.

She has spoken about auditioning via self tapes, then facing a chemistry read with DiCaprio—a moment she recalls as surreal, given her admiration for his past work. That connection reportedly played a key role in her being cast.

Chase Infiniti’s rise is being watched closely. From small roles to carrying the emotional weight of a major thriller, her performance in One Battle After Another seems destined to transform her from promising newcomer to a name in her own right.