Growing up, my family would keep sitcoms like Reba on rotation. We enjoyed watching our favorite TV families get up to some crazy shenanigans, share the occasional heart-to-hearts, and add the perfect background noise to our own busy lives.
Reba began airing in 2001 as a vehicle for country superstar Reba McIntyre’s budding acting career and quickly won over the hearts of sitcom lovers everywhere. Like Reba sings in the show’s theme song, Reba followed the “Fancy” star as Reba Hart, “a single mom who works too hard/who loves her kids and never stops.” While Reba was obviously a huge draw, the other cast members stood out as well; Reba’s ex-husband’s annoyingly endearing new wife Barbara Jean (Melissa Peterman) and the Hart children were some of my faves.
There’s Cheyenne (JoAnna Garcia) the oldest of the Hart children whose pregnancy is a main plot point in the show. There’s the youngest Hart, Jake (Mitch Holleman), who basically cracks one joke per episode. And then there’s Kyra (Scarlett Pomers), the often overlooked middle child.
Kyra was the sassy and sarcastic sister who was burdened with way too many adult responsibilities at her young age. In season 5, she was notably absent for most of the season before eventually returning for the final season. Shows often undergo cast changes and exits but Pomers’ disappearance was especially sad.
Scarlett Pomers battled anorexia while on Reba
Behind the scenes, Pomers had developed an eating disorder. She spoke with E! in 2006 about her journey to getting the help she needed and shared that her mental health had been deteriorating during her time on the show. Noting that no one on set had told her to lose weight, she started innocently dieting to shed a few pounds but it soon spiraled out of her control.
After becoming severely underweight, Pomers began to seek help. She first tried working with a therapist and a nutritionist but checked into a treatment facility for anorexia nervosa when it became clear she needed more assistance. While she was seeking treatment, she had to temporarily leave Reba; after magazines reportedly threatened to come up with rumors about her absence, she decided to share her story in the hopes of helping others who might be struggling with the same thing.
What is Pomers up to now?
Pomers has retired from the entertainment industry for the most part. While still on Reba, Pomers began pursuing a music career and played at popular Los Angeles concert venues like The Roxy and the House of Blues (RIP). She released a solo EP, Insane, in 2010. In a 2014 interview with StarTrek.com, she shared she does voiceover work occasionally and still makes music but only for enjoyment: “I do it mostly for myself and not for money, not for a living. There’s no money in it anyway.”
In more recent years, she’s been working as a photographer and ran a jewelry shop, The Mermaid’s Lure. Other than the shop’s small online presence and a relatively inactive Instagram account, Pomers has kept a low profile. She seems to be doing well though; she responded to a recent comment on her shop’s Facebook page stating that she had been too busy to run the shop lately but was hoping to return soon.