Daily Inspiration: Meet Deborah Missy Scott

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Missy Scott.

Hi Deborah Missy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hey, there; my name is Deborah Missy Scott. I’m originally from Philadelphia, Pa, and I moved to Raleigh in 2018 for my retail/sales career. However, I recently made a career change that altered the trajectory of my life. Ever since I was a child, I have wanted to be an entertainer. I loved singing and dancing in front of my family. I also wrote songs with my sister. My sister and I also played house, creating eight characters for the family. Out of the eight characters, I played five, haha. It was at that time that I knew I wanted to act specifically. I enjoyed telling stories through character acting.

As I got older, becoming an actress seemed difficult and nearly impossible. One day when I was 14, I was in the car with my mother, and we heard an advertisement on the radio it said, “Do you want to be an actress? If so, come to our open casting call”. When I heard that I was so excited, I told my mother we had to go. I had no idea where to start. Once there, I did a quick model walk and met with a representative. He said he could help me become an actress, but I had to pay hundreds of dollars to get started. When my mother and I heard that, my mother and I just looked and each other, and I knew it wouldn’t happen.

Years later, I was in college as an undeclared freshman. I was unsure of what I wanted to be and do. I remember talking on the phone with my grandmother, and I told her I wanted to major in the theater because I enjoyed acting. My grandmother told me, “there are a million pretty faces out there. You should do something more practical and get a government job” After that conversation, I declared myself a History major. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it. Still, at that time, anything seemed more valuable than being a theater major.

I graduated and started to work in retail sales. I traveled a lot and worked very hard in that field to build my career, and although I was doing well financially, I couldn’t imagine myself staying in that field. In 2021 one store I was working at was closing, and I was faced with the decision to either transfer to another store or collect severance pay and go my separate way. I told the HR manager that I had to think about it. After hearing the news, I clocked out, went to my car, and started to head home. While sitting at a red light, it hit me that this was my opportunity. This was my chance to “take the money” and follow my dreams of becoming an actress. The next day I told the company that I decided it was in my best interest to leave. Once I decided to leave, I invested in acting classes; professional head shots, and I started to submit, submit, and submit for acting roles. In January 2020, I was offered a reoccurring hosting spot for the Talent Showcase on the Charlotte Entertainment Network. The Talent Showcase is a platform for entertainers to showcase their talent and compete to win a grand prize. I not only host the show but aid in recruiting talent from all over. The show comes on every fourth Saturday on Spectrum Tv at 7 pm. I’m so excited to be able to help others while doing something I love.

In February of 2022, I decided to take more acting classes at Moonlight Stage Company in Raleigh. My instructor Estes Tarver quickly became one of my mentors. He helped me challenge myself, better understand the art of acting and make bold choices. Shortly after I started working with him, I started to book roles.

In March of 2022, I landed my first role in a film. I was a lead character in a student film titled “The Grins She Wears” with director Elon Durant and writer/cinematographer Meagan Sims. At the end of that project, Meagan looked at me and said. “Deborah, you made the character come to life better than I could have imagined. “That was my first encounter of validation in my new career as an actress, and it felt amazing. After that, I went on to shoot another student film, “Denna’s Done,” directed/ written by Asahni Williams.

Once I finished my second short film, I decided to create a YouTube Channel to inspire a national audience of aspiring entertainers. I wanted to create an online community so we could support one another and share my story in hopes of inspiring others. I also made a podcast entitled “Boundless,” where I interview people who are successful in the entertainment industry, hoping to be educated.

In January of 2020, I became a member of Raleigh Soroptimist. Soroptimist is an international volunteer organization made up of women at their best to help other women to be at their best. This year the organization was able to award 4 deserving women scholarships to assist them in their journeys of becoming the best version of themselves. I have been fortunate to be a part of their fundraiser committee to help raise funds for the women and children in the community.

In late December of 2020, I was crowned Ms. Pennsylvania Petite. The Petite pageant system is unique because it represents a woman under the height of 5’6″. Often, so many short women get overlooked in pageantry and the entertainment industry. So, it is wonderful to have a system for women of the shorter status. My platform for the pageant is “Breaking Ground, demystifying the climb to a successful career in the entertainment industry.

My mission is to help others follow their dreams and to let people know that anything is possible. In August of 2022, I competed for the national title, Ms. Petite USA.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road; I have faced many challenges and obstacles. I worked in a field for many years, and my heart was not in it. When I finally decided to switch my career in adulthood, I felt light years behind my competition. They told me multiple times before I got a YES. I still receive no’s, but I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and I’m optimistic about my future.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I recently had the opportunity to produce 2 episodes for “basically court Tv,” an episodic court TV parody show. This is the first time I have received producer credit. It was a great way to explore my creativity!
I made a conscious decision to follow my dreams when I was well into my career, I leaped, and I’m not only determined to be successful but to help others along the way.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love that Raleigh is a city with a small-town community feel. Raleigh is consistently growing, and I feel houses and roads aren’t being built fast enough.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ICUMISS
• Facebook: Deborah Missy Scott
• Other: https://linktr.ee/deborahmissyscott