Emma Shannon Dishes on Her Pretty Freekin Scary Character, Nyx
16-year-old actress Emma Shannon has had a pretty iconic year.
She played the classic character Betty Rizzo in Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, appears as young Judy Gemstone in HBO's The Righteous Gemstones and can also be seen as Nyx on Disney Channel's newest series, Pretty Freekin Scary, which premiered last month. We got the chance to speak with Emma to learn about her history and her role in the new show, and she shared it all with us in the interview below.
Note: This interview was conducted ahead of the actor's strike announcement.
Sweety High: When did you discover your passion for acting? Was there any specific a-ha moment that made you realize it was the path for you?
Emma Shannon: Ever since I was little, I've always loved TV shows and movies—especially Disney shows and movies! When I watched something on TV, I would memorize all the words to a scene. Then I would go to my playroom and perform what I memorized in front of all my toys. Like a one- woman show, I would play every part! I knew that I loved to make people happy and to make people laugh. So, one day, when I was 5 years old, I just asked my parents if I could be an actor. That's when it all started!
SH: Can you tell us a little bit about Pretty Freekin Scary? What's the series all about?
ES: Pretty Freekin Scary is a story about a girl named Frankie Ripp, Who dies and comes back to life and now has to balance her new experiences with her middle school life. She was only allowed back to her world with the guidance of Pretty and Scary. Another part of the deal is that the Grim Reaper has tasks for Frankie to complete, but Frankie doesn't know what those tasks are leading up to…
(Pretty Freekin Scary via The Disney Channel)
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SH: Tell us about your character, Nyx. What role does she play in the story?
ES: Nyx is a lone wolf. She doesn't have or want friends at first. She doesn't like drama, and she is very confident with herself! She loves to express herself through what she wears. Every different color outfit she wears, her hair changes colors, which is one of my favorite things! When she meets Frankie, she's taken aback because her perspective is changing. Nyx might not admit to it, but Frankie is becoming her friend.
SH: How similar are you to Nyx in real life? What would you say are your biggest similarities and differences?
ES: One of our biggest similarities is how confident we are and how we love to use our clothing styles to express ourselves. We both love scary movies and the color purple! Though I'm not a lone wolf. I'm very social! Unlike Nyx, I'm kinda bubbly, and I don't listen to Doomcore music. I feel like Nyx would be a '90s music girl, too, though!
SH: What's been your most memorable moment from the set?
ES: The most memorable moments are with the crew and my castmates! Just the people are so memorable. On my 16th birthday, right after we finished our last scene of the day, I was surprised with cupcakes and a happy birthday song! I was so touched I was on the verge of tears! We just really support each other and we always help each other out. It's such a safe environment! Never any judgments. I couldn't ask for a better group of people.
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SH: What's been your favorite fan reaction to the series so far?
ES: I love when I see edits of the show or artwork, which there have been a few of already. It just makes me so so happy to make people laugh and to keep people watching every week! This story is so important to tell, so I feel so much gratitude.
SH: Where else can we see your work right now?
ES: Pretty Freekin Scary is on Disney Channel every Friday starting at 8:30 pm with two episodes! You can also stream the Grease: Rise of The Pink Ladies soundtrack on Spotify. I would also love if you could share the hashtag #SaveRiseofThePinkLadies, as I had the incredible opportunity of playing Rizzo. For mature audiences, The Righteous Gemstones on HBO and Max is out now as well! I play young Judy Gemstone!
For more from our favorite young actors, click HERE to read our interview with The Villains of Valley View's Reed Horstmann.