Nikki Grace/Susan Blue

**Nikki Grace** is the protagonist of David Lynch's 2006 film *Inland Empire*. She is a Hollywood actress who is cast in the role of **Susan "Sue" Blue** in the film *On High in Blue Tomorrows* which, if successful, would signify a comeback for her as an actress. She finds herself increasingly immersed in the role, ultimately seeming to actually become the character she portrays and live in the world of the film.

## Biography

### *Inland Empire*

Nikki was an actress whose career had been on the wane. Around the year 2005, she is up for the role which could serve as a means of achieving a good comeback. She lives in a lavish mansion with a serving staff and her husband Piotrek.

While waiting anxiously to know whether or not she got the role, she is visited by an elderly woman with a thick Polish accent, credited as Visitor #1. She claims to be a new neighbor wishing to say hello. Nikki offers her to sit down so they could drink coffee together. As the conversation escalates until the visitor mentions a "brutal fucking murder" Nikki uncomfortably asks the visitor to leave.

The next day, Nikki is sitting with her friends Linda and Tracy on the couch. Henry the Butler brings the phone in. Greg, Nikki's agent, tells her that she got the role.

She makes a promotional appearance on *The Marilyn Levens Starlight Celebrity Show* along with Devon. During the last portion of the interview which is the only one shown in the film, Marilyn mentions false rumors about her and Devon having an affair.

Nikki and Devon arrive early for the first time of rehearsal. When the director and his assistant arrive they start rehearsing. The read-through is interrupted by the assistant, he claims to have seen someone in the darkness. Devon investigates but finds nothing. When he returns, the director finally tells them the truth about the story of the film.

Later on she is seen explaining to Mr. and Mrs. Żydowicz that she doesn't speak Polish.

One morning while in the makeup chair, Nikki hears the director talking about a 90-year old niece who was fascinated by the character of Smithy and kept asking who would play the role.

One night Nikki and Piotrek host Devon. After dinner Nikki returns from an unspecified place and she asks where everyone is. Their manservant tells her that her husband had taken Devon upstairs. She eavesdrops and hears Piotrek threatening Devon so he doens't try to have anything with his wife. Nikki doesn't interfere but sneaks away.

During downtime set, Devon and Nikki flirt lightly. Devon invites her out to dinner after the shooting and she accepts.

After shooting a couple more scenes, they do a scene where Sue tells Billy she's afraid that her husband might know of their affair. Then she says "Damn! This sounds like dialogue from our script!". Kingsley yells "What the bloody hell is going on?". She looks around in confusion and realizes she was on set.

Later on, Billy and Sue are having sex when she interrupts everything and starts talking about something "that happened yesterday, but" she knows "it's tomorrow." She then starts screaming "It's me, Devon! It's me, Nikki!". Billy, however, laughs at her mockingly and tells her that she isn't making sense.