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Next time grandma's gushing about her "gorgeous baby" to some stranger while shoving your senior picture in his face, don't be so embarrassed. That's how  

KYLA PRATT

 , star of UPN's One on One, Nickelodeon's Proud Family, and 20th Century Fox's Fat Albert (in theaters December 24), got her big break.

"My grandmother was on a plane bragging to total strangers about me, and one of them happened to be a modeling agent," Kyla recalls.

That was 10 years ago, and the 18-year-old hasn't stopped working since. She's guest-starred on Friends, ER, and Moesha, and has landed gigs in Doctor Doolittle and Doctor Doolittle 2. In the midst of it all, she also managed to score four NAACP Image Award nominations. Oh, yeah - she excelled in school, too.

Kyla attended high school her freshman year, which didn't prove easy, as she was constantly auditioning for roles. "A lot of teachers didn't cooperate with my schedule," she says, "but my math teacher was great. She gave me her home phone number and said to call her whenever I knew I was going to be out, and she'd give me the assignments."
Kyla didn't have to struggle for long, because once One on One became popular, she moved on to homeschooling. "I didn't mind," she admits. "I still saw my friends, I got to concentrate more, and I didn't have to worry about distractions."

Don't think being a teen in the spotlight has barred Kyla from high school milestones. She had a graduation ceremony this past June. "I wore my cap and gown, and put my tassel to the side," she remembers. She even made it a point to attend some high school dances. "My friends say they're going to a school dance, and I'm like 'Oh, I want to go!'"

And how do students react to having a celebrity in their midst? "Most people knew me from freshman year, so they're not trippin' on me," she laughs. "They're like, 'Hey, what's up?'"

Kyla attributes her grounded outlook to her family. "I don't see myself becoming a diva," she says. "I still have to do dishes and wash my own clothes. I'm the oldest of five, so I have to set the example. I act how I want them to act."

In spite of her impressive acting résumé, Kyla insists she's just a normal teenager. "I get to experience what any young person gets to experience," she says.

Except that she also gets to hang out with celebs like BILL COSBY, EDDIE MURPHY, and BRANDY on TV and movie sets. And, she owes it all to grandma.



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Jennifer Merritt is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

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