Royalton’s Symonne Harrison making a name for herself in Tinseltown

Many famous faces have come from Ohio – Paul Newman, Steven Spielberg, Halle Berry, Roy Rogers, Dean Martin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jack Nicklaus, to name a few. Symonne Harrison, a former North Royalton Sweetheart and Little Miss North Royalton, can now add her name to the list of Ohioans who found their place in Tinseltown.
Thirteen-year-old Harrison moved to Hollywood more than a year ago with her parents, Tania and Jim, to boldly pursue a passion to act. After just one month of going on auditions, Symonne landed a leading role in a television pilot and the accolades have continued. The Royalton Recorder has followed Harrison’s success and recently caught up with the precocious teen after a day of filming.
What exciting updates do you have for your hometown?
“Things have been going great. I booked a role on a Showtime, Golden Globe winning drama series, “The Affair.” I had the most incredible experience on set at Sony Pictures. It was literally a dream come true for me. I acted alongside actress Emily Browning. She was so sweet, and I just loved everything from the moment I stepped foot on the Sony Pictures lot, to having my own trailer, to walking under the famous Sony Rainbow as an employee of Sony Pictures and working with the amazing cast and crew. Everyone was so welcoming, and it was one of the best moments of my life. It is expected to air in late September.”
How has this role changed your life?
“It’s been so exciting! I have earned my SAG (Screen Actors Guild) eligibility which is a huge accomplishment. It identifies you as an actor who has worked in a principle role for a tv or film. I have also gone on a media blitz with appearances on “Good Morning LaLa Land,” I have been interviewed in magazines such as Celebrity Haute Spot and Storytellers Magazine and a few more in the works. I was really excited to be mentioned as “One To Watch” on the cover of Story Monsters Inc. alongside Kobe Bryant on the cover. I was just added as a celebrity profile as a tv actress on “Famous Birthdays.” I’m being invited to many red-carpet appearances, film premieres, charity events and offered brand sponsorships. I have met some incredible celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres, John Legend and Mario Lopez. I have made so many new friends with other working child actors. It’s so inspiring to be surrounded by so many talented people and meet some of my favorite celebrities. It was so amazing to meet Ellen. Like, it’s Ellen! I have loved this experience and feel so very blessed.”
You go on weekly auditions. What is that like?
“I love going on auditions. It’s so exciting to get to become the character for the audition. Sometimes the character is so different from my personality and that is super fun. I audition for roles for television, movie and commercials. The audition process is interesting because they call it a win just to get an audition. Each role that is out there gets thousands of submissions for that one role. The casting directors narrow down their choices to just a couple dozen kids they actually picked to audition for the role. It’s an honor to get an audition and I am grateful for each one that comes my way. I’ve had a very busy 2019 with auditions and have been blessed to have gone before casting directors for roles on major networks such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Netflix and movie productions. It’s exciting when you get a callback which means you are in the top few being considered and even more exciting when you get the booking. I have been blessed with both of those scenarios.”
Describe a typical week for you.
“Every day and every week are unpredictable. I never know when an audition is going to come through, so I have to be very organized and always ready to shift gears. I have school, acting coaching, auditions, appearances and red-carpet events. I film my YouTube videos and do all my own editing, so that takes time. I also get invited weekly to film on other YouTube channels. I have to work on my social media and answer the comments and questions that my fans post on my Instagram or the direct messages they send me. I try to send out positive messages every day to my followers. I feel very honored that other kids look up to me and I take that very seriously. I have people from all over the world who support, follow me, and send me messages on how much I make them smile. I love that I can make people happy through my social media and YouTube channel. I always try to spread joy and positivity on my social media. I never expected all the fan pages that are out there. It’s really fun.”
You achieved a 4.0 GPA through your accredited online school and now call California your permanent home.
“I’ve had the busiest 2019 and I have not been able to leave LA to come home yet this year. The last time I was in Cleveland was Christmas. I am looking forward to a trip back this summer. I am excited to see my family and friends. Thankfully, I live in a place where people like to vacation so a lot of my friends and family visit us in LA often. We consider ourselves residents of California, and Cleveland has now become our vacation home. We are ‘all in’ and know this is where we need to be for my career. My dad switched jobs and works in Beverly Hills now. My mom is my ‘momager.’ She wears many hats and keeps my days organized. I am so lucky to have the best parents.”
What other accomplishments would you like to update readers on?
Tania Harrison, Symonne’s Mother: “Symonne’s social media has blown up this year. She has generated an impressive following on her Instagram and YouTube channels. She has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram (@symonneharrison) and more than 30,000 followers on her YouTube channel (Symonne Harrison). She has been invited to collaborate with multiple celebrity tween YouTube stars with some of her videos reaching more than 5 million views. She has become quite the social influencer with many major companies reaching out and offering her deals to collaborate with their brands. It has become a very lucrative endeavor for her being the tween face and role model for companies such as Lip Smacker, Crayola, Yoobi, Beach Waver, Philly Swirl Ice Cream, CHARM IT!, Petite’nPretty and many more. The company, A Hint of Sparkle, is an incredible brand that supports, inspires and empowers girls to stay true to who they are. They have asked Symonne to create a “Symonne Sparkle Box” of some of Symonne’s favorite items that she uses daily from some of her favorite brands. It is so exciting that this company has chosen Symonne as their role model for young girls to emulate. All the brands included in the box have partnered with Symonne and this company to offer this amazing box filled with a variety of fun products for only $40 (retail value is $95). The Pre-Sale event was a huge success and all the pre-sale quantities sold out. It is now on sale and you can purchase the “Symonne Sparkle Box” on A Hint of Sparkle’s website, ahintofsparklebox.com.”
Lastly, Mom, how have you seen Symonne change and evolve over this last year and what have you learned about yourself?
“Symonne has always been very driven and goal-oriented. It has been incredible to see her adjust to her new life in LA. She is one of the strongest-willed kids I know, and she has matured a lot this year. Symonne had a dream, she chased it and she is doing it. We are proud of her tenacity and perseverance. This is a tough business and definitely not for the weak at heart. She has made a great group of friends, they support one another, and she enjoys being in a place where she is inspired by all the talent around her daily. I have definitely learned a lot about myself going through this major life change. I have learned to live life more spontaneously as is required in Symonne’s business. I have learned to be more patient. Unless you are out here seeing all the work and the behind-the-scene efforts that goes into being an actor, it is difficult to comprehend. I am blessed to have the job of being Symonne’s mom and loving my latest phrase I seem to be saying a lot lately, ‘I’m with her!’


By SARA MACHO HILL
Contributing Writer