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Scarlett Pomers: Rock A Little Written by Michele Deppe Scarlett Pomers stars at Kyra Hart on the hit television show Reba. “We’ve just found out the our show has been picked up for a second seasons, and everyone is so excited!” says Scarlett. She tells us that almost eight months of work is required to produce one season of shows. “We work hard from the middle of August through March, and then we’re on break through spring and most of summer. Hiatus is a magical word for 14-year-old Scarlett Pomers. Although she relishes her role as Reba’s sweet and sassy youngest daughter, the talented fashion devotee makes the most of her life off camera. This weekend an English helmet will crown Scarlett’s long strawberry-hued tresses while she rides Salem, her thoroughbred mare, and jumps over some lofty fences. Already an accomplished skier and equestrian, Scarlett recently picked up another audacious sport. “I learned to surf when I was working on A Ring of Endless Light in Australia this past year. It’s the coolest location I’ve ever gone to for a movie. Australia is such an awesome place. I hope to go back soon.” Scarlett is a flexible performer, and her attitude is professional, whether she is working on a movie set with Julia Roberts, or signing autographs for a children’s charity. After all, she has been hard at work in the entertainment industry since she appeared in a Michael Jackson music video at age 3! Scarlett completed her first feature film role at age 5 as Suzi Barrett in The Babysitter’s Club. Scarlett has a number of movies to her credit and lent her voice to Baby Geniuses. She has done more than 40 commercials, performed in theater productions, and guest starred on numerous television shows. One of Scarlett’s acting role models is her Gepetto co-star comedian Drew Carey. “He is so funny and just a really cool person. He speaks to everyone and makes them feel good, and I like doing that too.” Scarlett says acting is an adventure, and you never know what the project will be like until you’ve plunged in. “Sometimes you have to work through uncomfortable weather,” she explains, recalling her experience on an episode of Touched By An Angel. “My scenes were at night. We were in Utah, and it was cold!” Scarlett adds, “But on the other hand, it was steaming hot during filming for Slappy and the Stinkers, and we all wore black, and there were swarms of bees. I guess there is always something to make it more challenging, but I love the whole process anyway!” Scarlett is quick to dispel the notion that acting is glamorous. Laughing, she says, “Most of the time you run around with your hair in curlers.” The Reba show has settled into a comfortable routine. Since she is a teen, Scarlett isn’t legally allowed to spend as many hours on the set as the older cast members, so sometimes she arrives a little later in the morning. “Most of the time is spent in rehersals, and then one night a week we tape in front of an audience. That’s the best part!” Scarlett says. Scarlett and her Reba costar Mitch Holleman have a cozy classroom right across the hall from “Reba’s house.” Scarlett says, “We decorated our classroom to look like a real school environment. I had been working with a wonderful teacher when I was on Star Trek, and I requested her for Reba. I was so glad they took my recommendation and she was hired to be our teacher. She’s really nice, and she even makes math bearable!” During some portions of the year, Scarlett is home-schooled. Scarlett enjoys reading, especially science fiction. In addition to acting, Scarlett has been nurturing another creative ambition: singing. This is not surprising to anyone who knows her well, because Scarlett indicated that music is an essential part of her life. “Music is a way to express yourself,” she says. “Even if you don’t sing or play an instrument, you can share a lot with people just by talking about the kind of music you like. It says a lot about you.” Scarlett’s voice has already graced the soundtracks for three of her movies, Gepetto, Happy, Texas, and Mighty Joe Young. “I’ve been working on a demo,” she confides. “My singing is a mix of R&B and rock, but I like a variety of music. I listen to different types of music, depending on what kind of mood I’m in. If I’m upset, music comforts me, and if I’m happy, music is great to celebrate with,” she adds. The young actress also plays the guitar and is writing her own songs now. She says, “I haven’t played my own music for my producers yet. I am really excited about composing, and I hope to create some songs to use on my demo.” Scarlett’s velvety voice sometimes suffers from a common environmental hazard. She explains, “I’m allergic to cigarette smoke. It makes me cough and wheeze, and I am generally miserable when I am around people who smoke. I think it’s an awful habit.” Unfortunately, Scarlett has also experienced how deadly smoking can be. “My grandfather wasn’t really very well supervised as a child. He picked up smoking at age 9. He recently died of lung cancer. It is so sad, because he would probably still be alive if he hadn’t smoked so much. Scarlett encourages her friends not to smoke or use drugs, and thinks exposure to those substances has a lot to do with the people you hang out with. “If you’re around people who smoke or use drugs, you’re more likely to do that, too,” she says. Her stand against drugs is strong. “I’ve never been offered drugs, but if I ever was, I feel like the best thing to do would be to tell an adult about it,” Scarlett says. “I think a lot of people are scared of getting someone else in trouble, but if you tell on someone who uses and sells drugs, you are actually doing them a favor. They can get help for their addiction, and you’ve done something to make a difference. It isn’t the easiest thing to do, but it is being part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Good counsel from an upcoming star with a bright future. |