The Tragic Truth About What Happened To Reba Star Scarlett Pomers

There is always going to be a star from “back then” that seemingly disappeared. In many cases, actors who starred in popular movies or shows from years ago have continued acting, but have not reached the same level of success they once had. This is certainly the case with the likes of Famke Janssen from the X-Men franchise, Jackie Earl Haley from Watchmen, or even with Lili Simmons from Banshee.

But being a sitcom star that vanishes into oblivion puts this particular celebrity on a whole different level. That is because people grow up watching sitcoms, often incorporating them into their daily routines. And in the case of sitcom kids, viewers almost grow up alongside the stars. For those that adored Reba McEntire’s WB sitcom, Reba, they saw Scarlett Pomers (AKA Kyra Hart) grow up before their eyes. But nowadays, she’s completely vanished from the spotlight. She has no Instagram presence, hasn’t taken a role since the show ended in 2007, and basically hasn’t been heard from.

Naturally, fans got worried. But those who know Scarlett Pomers best know that she has dealt with her fair share of traumas. Having Reba flirting with the idea of bringing her Texas-based sitcom back, fans wonder if they will ever get to see Scarlett return to the role that made her famous. Unfortunately, that is highly unlikely. Here is the tragic truth about Scarlett Pomers and where exactly she has gone.

Updated on February 7, 2023: Scarlett Pomers has continued to stay out of the spotlight since leaving Reba. She shared in an interview what she is pursuing in her photography career: “I do mostly fashion stuff, but I also shoot bands. I shoot their promo pictures and stuff like that, and a little bit of concerts, too. […] With fashion and other kinds of shoots, I can be a little more creative and have more say on the concepts [and] whatnot.”

How Did Scarlett Pomers Become Famous?

Scarlett Pomers was the definition of a child star. At just five years old, Scarlett made her debut in a Michael Jackson music video. From there, she began booking commercial after commercial. Casting agents were thrilled with her natural beauty and stunning red hair. Most of all, the young woman had a charisma that was unparalleled. Pomers was a star in the making.

Following small acting roles on Touched By An Angel and Judging Amy, Scarlett was cast in notable feature films such as Erin Brockovich and The Baby-Sitters Club. In 1998, she booked her first major role on Star Trek: Voyager, a series that would forever earn her money thanks to fan conventions. After playing Naomi Wilding for 16 episodes of the series, Scarlett was put up for some juicy roles, such as Kyra Hart on Reba.

Without a doubt, Reba is what made Scarlett famous. But it’s also the role that brought her the most conflict. Not only was she becoming intensely famous very, very fast, but her personal issues were also put into the spotlight.

Scarlett Left Reba To Deal With Her Eating Disorder

Scarlett says she was sixteen when her eating disorder began. While she never had anyone on a set tell her that she needed to lose weight, her battle with her self-image was amplified by growing up in front of millions of Reba fans.

“[My eating disorder] began at a bad time when I was stressed out about things in my life. You know, just normal things that people go through,” Scarlett said to E! in 2006. “It’s definitely not a choice. It’s not something where you wake up and go, ‘You know, I think I’ll have an eating disorder today.'”

After gaining a couple of pounds over Christmas, Scarlett innocently started a diet and obsessively working out. But things quickly spun out of control. She knew she had a problem when her habits with food and exercise became something that she had to hide from people. But eventually, her issues became clear.

The 5’2 actor lost a whopping 73 pounds in late 2005. Because of how serious her anorexia nervosa became, she was forced to leave Reba during most of the fifth season of the show. For the majority of that year, Scarlett was seeking help at a facility. Fortunately, she managed to gain some control over her issue after leaving and became an ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association. She even started her own non-profit helping people overcome their eating disorders when they can’t afford treatment.

What Happened To Scarlett After Reba?

After Scarlett returned to Reba, she decided that Hollywood wasn’t the place for her. She finished the show in the sixth season and then quickly went on to pursue music. Scarlett was into hard rock since she was a kid, so creating her own band was natural to her. She had already begun to do so while making Reba, but committing herself to music after the show was canceled was an important step to her.

Additionally, Scarlett also got into Kundalini yoga and even got her own teaching certificate. In her battle with anorexia nervosa, mastering the art and spiritual practice of yoga was essential.

While she still does music, Scarlett no longer pursues it as a career. Instead, according to Netline, Scarlett has become an avid photographer and makes her own jewelry to sell on various online stores. It’s clear she has banked quite a bit of money from being a child star, but wants to pursue things that are meaningful for her far away from the spotlight. So, no, it’s highly unlikely that Scarlett would return for a Reba reboot, or any other acting project for that matter.