I had the pleasure of talking with Sierra Holmes a few days ago. Many of you may remember her as placing 5th on season two of VH1’s Scream Queen. Since the show wrapped, she’s kept herself busy with a lot of new and interesting projects, all of which you can read about below. What was great about this interview is that I, and the readers, can get a real feel of who she is as a person. Most interviews you read, you mostly get facts, but this interview I really feel that readers will get a sense of who Sierra is between the lines. So, with that in mind – you can either click here to listen to an MP3 of the conversation, or read the transcript below!
MGD: Hi, everybody. This is MGD for HorrorSociety and I’m here with one of my favorite actresses that we all recently saw on VH1 recently – Sierra Holmes from Scream Queens. How are you doing today?
Sierra: I’m doing really well. How are you?
MGD: I’m good. I got a lot of stress lifted off my shoulders now that I’ve graduated. So, this is a perfect way to start off my celebration I guess.
Sierra: Well, congratulations!
MGD: Thanks! Like I mentioned before, we saw you on Scream Queens and do you ever get tired of people asking you about that? Do you get tired of answering the same questions over and over again?
Sierra: It’s funny that you ask that because when people recognize me, it’s always the same thing when they come up to me. They go, “Are you the girl from…?” and I stop them and I’m like, “Yeah.” But, no, not at all. It comes with the business and I consider my fans my friends, so I never get tired. A lot of the questions are the same, but I’m willing to answer the same question 5,000 times if I have to.
MGD: Yeah, I can imagine. And you’ve been really nice talking through email so I completely understand the whole fans are your friends thing. You’ve really been one of the nicest people talking to through emails; one of the nicest people to get a hold of.
Sierra: Thanks. And one thing that kind of annoyed me because of Scream Queens is that I saw a lot of posts from people watching the show and they said I was too nice on the show and that I should have had more of a backbone and been more competitive and sneaky, but that’s not who I am. I’m truly just down to earth and really friendly, and a lot of people did not like that part of me. That’s who I am. So, I just wanted to put it out there that I wasn’t fake on the show. That’s who I really am. Part of the show is me helping Sarah [Alami] lose her accent and people were saying I’m so stupid for doing that, this is a competition, why was I helping her? But, that’s just my personality.
MGD: People actually wanted you to be mean?
Sierra: Yeah, a lot of the posts were saying I was so stupid because I was being so nice to all the girls, and helping them out and comforting them. I know it was a competition, but I’m not going to be a snot because that’s not who I am.
MGD: Right. Yeah, I understand that. People just want reality tv to be reality tv and they don’t understand that some people aren’t on there just to get famous for something; they’re really there to establish a career or make a move or something.
Sierra: Yeah, yeah. I can honestly say I’m still really good friends with 8 of the girls.
MGD: Yeah, yeah. I interviewed Gabby [West] a little while ago and she seemed nice, too. You two were definitely my top two.
Sierra: Gabby is a sweet girl and I’m really happy for her. I’m glad. I didn’t find out she won until the show aired because it was all confidential.
MGD: Oh, you had to sign all those contracts and everything?
Sierra: Yeah, when we got eliminated we were driven home that night or had to stay at a hotel and take a flight the next day. The girls who lasted after us aren’t allowed to say anything. So I didn’t even know who won. I was completely in the dark from after I got eliminated.
MGD: That sucks. I would want to know.
Sierra: I know. I was calling up Jessica [Ortiz] like, “Jessica tell me. Jessica tell me.” And she’s like, “I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.” because it would be a big law suit. I wanted Jess to tell me and she would not budge.
MGD: Ok. So we were just talking before about how you weren’t on reality tv to play a part and be one of those people who get paid to party and all that stuff. You actually did a lot of theatre work in New York and California.
Sierra: Yeah. I actually grew up doing theatre because I’m from a small town in New York. The closest thing was the theatre in New York. So, I grew up singing and dancing and acting in every theatre production I could get my hands on to. One of my biggest roles, I played Val in A Chorus Line. I got to be in Fame. I did all the musicals and plays growing up in my town – middle school, high school. Then, I got a scholarship when I graduated high school to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Las Angeles. So immediately I left as soon as I graduated high school, a month after, and I moved to Las Angeles. However, I had some sort of conflict with my professor because I’ve been growing up and doing theatre. Theatre is very broad, it’s more showy, so they had to tone me down. It was a great school and I got my B.A. I’m definitely sticking to the acting world now. Theatre helped me grow, but I definitely want to do tv and film.
MGD: Yeah, I can understand that. And I don’t know why they’d want to tone you down. You’re great the way you are, but let’s talk about your future, not your past. I think you’re going to have a really bright future especially because you just made the announcement on your website that you have a couple new films that you’re doing pretty soon.
Sierra: Yeah, I just booked a few feature films as the lead actress. They’re all horror films. So I’m really excited about that. I’ll be shooting most of those this summer and fall. Actually, I’m shooting something next week. It’s called Scream Queen Bloodbath. Look for that because the trailer will be coming out really soon. I have a movie trailer out now for a film called Prey to God.
MGD: I heard about that! I heard about that [Prey To God] somewhere. I didn’t know you were in that, though.
Sierra: Yeah, I play the lead actress and the teaser is posted right now on my Facebook. We’re trying to get it out there. I’m definitely a big horror girl! All these horror directors are coming to me, asking me, and I’m like, “Of course!” I like to get down and dirty and all that stuff.
MGD: I’m excited. I heard about that and I’ve been following the Scream Queen Bloodbath movie for a while now. And when I saw that you were going to be in it and I was like, “I’ve already talked to half the cast already.” So, I’m glad I got the opportunity to grab you for it too because they’ve all been pretty excited.
Sierra: Allison [Kyler] is going to be in it with me.
MGD: Is she really? See, I didn’t know that either. This is great.
Sierra: Me and Allison actually play the leads in this movie.
MGD: Aw, that’s nice. It’s a nice little reunion.
Sierra: Yeah, Yeah. I’m actually starring in a new tv series with Tai [Davis].
MGD: Really? Your website says you’re hosting some sort of paranormal thing. Is that what’s going to be on television?
Sierra: No, this one is called Legacy of the Masque. I play the lead superhero and Tai, in three episodes, plays my sidekick. I’m really excited to work with her again. She was one of the closet girls I was on the show with.
MGD: I didn’t know that. See, you’re giving me lots of good information to share with everybody. You can pre-order Prey To God already on the website, I saw. Fans can already go on and buy their copy in advance now.
Sierra: Yeah, you can pre-order it at https://www.preytogod.info. It’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever read. If you’re definitely a horror freak, definitely go out and buy Prey To God. It’s pretty darn amazing.
MGD: It sounds like it’s a religious kind of thing, right? With people being sacrificed.
Sierra: Basically, yeah. It’s funny because we released the teaser on Easter. We wanted to be a little bit rebellious. Basically it’s me and three other people. There are people in it from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, people in it from The Exorcist. It’s a really good cast. Basically, me and my friends go camping and we’re the bad kind of teenagers. We get taken one by one by this over religious family and we start dying one by one in really gruesome ways.
MGD: People are going to like that. It kind of sounds like Red State. I don’t know if you saw that. Kevin Smith’s, I think, new film. It’s pretty much two boys in the same situation. I know that got a lot of press because people just go crazy for some reason when you mix religion and horror together. I expect a lot of people [to see it].
Sierra: Yeah. I knew. I had to hire a publicist before I released the trailer because, you’re right, when you mix religious with horror…we’re crossing boundaries. I’m going to have to do a lot of damage control. I grew up Catholic, I still go to church. It’s just a movie. It’s not anything that anybody should take seriously.
MGD: Sometimes horror is supposed to do that. It’s supposed to make you feel uncomfortable or angry or some other weird emotion. It’s what it’s there for.
Sierra: I think the thing I liked best about this is because it is such a controversial movie. It made me want to sign onto it more.
MGD: Yeah, it’s always better to be a part of something that stands out from the crowd.
Sierra: Yeah, I agree.
MGD: Speaking of something creepy, something we were talking about when we were taking a break before. People have been copying you on Facebook?
Sierra: Before Scream Queens, I searched my name and there was literally one other person with the same name as me. After Scream Queens there were like 500 new Sierra Holmes’. Half of them put my face as their profile picture. I was like, “Ok.” Some were fans and some were creepy people. I don’t really know the extent of it. Ok, I contacted some of them to be funny and like, “Oh, You look just like me. Are you my twin?” My facebook page, I accept all friend requests. I try to block some people because they get stalkerish. My facebook page has a picture of me on a billboard in New York City wearing a green shirt. That is my personal page. Everybody else is pretending to be me.
The same thing happened to Gabby [West] as well. Somebody actually created a facepage of Gabby and were writing a lot of inappropriate statuses about her. I actually had to get on the page and be like, “Everybody this is not Gabby.” Gabby does not actually have a Facebook page. So, if you’re friends with Gabby just delete it because she doesn’t even have a Facebook page. Yeah, it’s kind of funny, though. I don’t take anything to personally. If people are going to copy my face and create a page, just know that is my only page – the picture I just told you about. Don’t believe anybody else. If someone else tries contacting you saying they’re me, they’re lying.
MGD: Yeah. They’re…I forget what they call them. They used to have a word for people who pretend to be somebody else on Myspace. I don’t remember. Myspace is so out now.
Sierra: How about we just call them creepers?
MGD: Yeah, that’s the easiest word. Have there ever been, speaking about posting untrue stuff…Have you ever come across some media about you that was a rumor or just completely not true?
Sierra: Yes. On my first episode, I was completely nervous and a wreck. I was letting the competition get to me. The first episode I did horrible on my acting. Because of my first episode, people kept calling me a porn star and obsessed with how I look and I’m overly sexual. They couldn’t be farther from the truth. There was one website and they give every girl on the show a nickname and my nickname was “Porn Star.” I was probably the only person there who did not care about how her make up looked, how her hair looked. Every girl there was always trying to look the best and now it’s concentrated in a competition. That’s definitely one thing I want to get out there. I’m not obsessed with my looks. I’m not this porn star that they’re trying to portray to me to.
They also portrayed me to be in love with John Holma, which is not true. He’s just a friend. I just admire him as a role model. With reality tv, of course people are going to talk, it’s reality tv! There’s a camera on you 24-7. A lot of girls agreed with me that we got portrayed definitely as not the person that we really are. There was a lot of editing and cropping. We say one thing about a girl and they take what we said and make it look like we said it about another girl.
MGD: Yeah, that’s a problem with a lot of reality shows.
Sierra: A couple girls had meetings with the producers afterwards because this could really affect their careers. Rosanna [Pansino], who is one of my best friends now, they made it seem like she kept freezing up. That’s not true. She performed the scene every single time. She would just have to take a moment to compose herself because she was getting her thoughts together. They took that 10 seconds where she was getting her thoughts together and made it look like she froze. And that never happened.
MGD: Right. They want to do anything to throw someone under the bus for ratings or drama or something like that.
Sierra: People don’t want to watch everyone being good, everyone doing their best. People like to see people mess up and do crazy stuff. That’s what people like to watch, unfortunately. And that’s what happened.
MGD: Is there anything else you want to share with people who are listening or reading about you in the future?
Sierra: You can follow me on www.sierraholmes.com. I constantly update it with everything that I’m doing. I have the best fans ever. They’re so nice to me. Just keep following me. Because I’m going to try and make it on the big screen one day.
MGD: I think you will. You’ve taken what little…I think you were on there on six episodes on Scream Queens and you’re kind of running with it. You said you have a tv show and a couple movies. So, you’re doing alright.
Sierra: Look for those. They will be out within the next year. I also have on my website – you can type in your email and I will be able to email you back with what’s going on in my life right now.
MGD: Cool. So, it’s like an online email blog kind of thing?
Sierra: Yes. And my twitter is @SierraMist27. You can follow me on twitter as well.
MGD: I’ll make sure to post links to all that stuff too. I actually have to get ready for work. It was an absolute pleasure talking to you. It has been my favorite interview so far.
Sierra: Feel free to call back and interview anytime.
MGD: Yeah, you have all these movies coming out. We’ll definitely have to chat about the plot and what was on screen once we’re allowed to talk about it.
Sierra: Yeah, you have my number now right on your phone?
MGD: Yeah, I’ll save it on my phone.
Sierra: Yeah. Just log in my number.
MGD: Alright. Great. Well, enjoy the rest of your weekend and I can’t wait to talk to you in the future.
Sierra: Definitely and have fun at work!
MGD: Alright. Thank you for your time.
Did anyone else notice that Sierra and I say “yeah” a lot? Maybe it’s a Jersey/New York thing! Hopefully, you can see that Sierra Holmes is a dedicated actress who is true to herself and very supportive of all her friends and fans. I think these attributes, mixed with her talents as an actress, will propel her to stardom. Until she reaches super-stardom, we have a variety of projects that we need to keep an eye out on! Scream Queen Bloodbath is filming very soon and Prey To God this summer, as well as a new superhero themed televison show called League of the Mask...and I’m sure there will be lots of other exciting things to look forward too. Remember to follow her on twitter here and subscribe to her official website here.
Thank you, again, for your time Sierra.
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