MTV News: Tell us about your character, Whitney.
Scott: Whitney is a girl who comes from a background where she’s had this really overbearing mom [Senator Evette Chase, played by Sherri Shepherd] and lived in her shadow her whole life. Now that she’s on her own, she’s finding her own footing. And with that freedom, she does some pretty silly things, but all in the name of finding herself and figuring out her path. It’s a little messy, it’s a little wrong, but it’s her journey.
MTV News: How did you begin acting?
Scott: I always liked to entertain like my family members. I’m a middle child, so I was always like, “Pay attention to me! I’m going to do a dance! I’m going to sing a song!” I would just imitate Beyoncé. My family members would all gift me DVDs of her concerts. I would learn all the choreography, and then at every family event, just be like, “Everyone, sit down. I will be doing ‘Crazy in Love’ by myself.” When I got to high school, I saw my first musical. And I was like, they’re just doing what I’m doing but in a way that makes a little bit more sense. I studied musical theater in college, and then — stroke of luck — got this job.
MTV News: For you, what are the biggest red flags on dating apps?
Scott: Dating apps themselves are red flags, just the whole concept of seeing someone’s image and then swiping left or swiping right. I went to dinner with a friend of mine yesterday, and she told me about this new term. You know the idea of FOMO: fear of missing out? In the dating world, there’s this thing called FOBO: fear of better options. Basically, you’ll meet someone, and they’re interested for a second, and then it’s like, what if this? What if that? No one wants to invest. For some people who do want to use dating apps to go have sex and live their lives, that is great. More power to you.
MTV News: What is your go-to hangover snack?
Scott: After I drink, I’m always like, Lord, please. I’ll never do that again. Let me go get a green juice and salad. I feel like I’m always trying to do damage control, like, put the greens in! Fix it!
MTV News: What are the qualities of a good roommate?
Scott: Someone who’s communicative. Someone who tells you what it is. I don’t want to walk in on you doing it with your man. Put a sock on the door or something. You tell me how you like to live, I’ll tell you how I like to live. We’re gonna respect each other’s space.