“ | He left me here because he thought this is what I wanted, and I don’t want this. I want him. I want him and I’ll do whatever it takes to get him back and be with him again. | ” |
Simone Rivera (born August 14, 2000) is one of the three main protagonists on the television show STAR on Fox. She is portrayed by Brittany O'Grady.
Biography[]
Simone is the daughter of Mary Davis & the half-sister of Star Davis. She is also the daughter of a unnamed black man, who she doesn't know anything about. When her mother died, she was given over to Carlotta Brown, who was her godmother until she lost them. She and Star were split when she was 11, and she was put to her foster parents: Otis and Ruth-Anne Leecan. Otis had been raping her since she was put in care of him, but Star comes back for her five years later. Simone, along with Alex and Star go to Atlanta on a journey to stardom. Otis comes back for Simone, but he is killed by his wife. Simone becomes close to Angel Rivera soon after he moves to town, and an attraction builds. After the death of her girlfriend, Karen Williams, Angel tells Simone that he has feelings for her, which Simone reciprocates. When Angel's group is selected for a tour instead of Take Three, Simone fears that she will be returned to foster care. Simone had explained to Angel that marriage was a possible way out, and Angel agreed to marry Simone. At the end of Take It To Church, Simone and Angel were married, and she will reveal the union to her sister Star, to Alex, Carlotta, and Cotton in Dreamers.
Series[]
Simone first appears in Pilot, when Star is talking to Juanita about taking care of Simone. Simone is sitting down at a table, with her foster family eating breakfast, when her foster father, Otis, tells his kids to get ready for school, because they're going to be late. Simone, getting up from the table offers to drop them off on her way to school but Otis then says that Simone thinks that she's running the house, thinks she's better than everyone because she thinks that she's white. He follows this up by telling that she not better than anyone else, and Simone says that she never said she was. When Ruth says she's about to take the kids to school, Simone asks for a ride, but Otis turns down Ruth and says Simone doesn't have classes until later, and she'll drop her off. When Star arrives at Otis'she sees Otis on top of Simone, against her will. Simone catches sight of Star in the doorway, and Star tells her to star quiet. She goes and grabs a knife and starts stabbing Otis while Simone is still underneath him. When Star stops stabbing him, Simone pushes Otis off of her and screams at Star saying she killed him. Simone then says she wants her mother, and Star tell her that their mother is dead and that she came for her. Star then asks where he keeps his keys, and a very distraught Simone replies that they are in his back pocket, Star then tells Simone to pack her stuff. After Simone packs, they leave in his car.
Star and Simone find their godmother, Carlotta, in church. Simone is seen being very happy that they found her, and asks if her, Alex, and Star can stay with her.
Alex convinces the girls that in order to find a manager, they could perform at an amateur night, because there will be managers there, They perform "Break Yo Chest", and get booed off the stage. This is the first episode where we see Simone drinking, a hint that she might have a problem.
Star, Alex, and Simone are all seen eating lunch with Jahil, who tells them about the Atlanta Next Fest competition. He tells them that the earliest step is to submit a demo.
While Simone is outside smoking weed and singing "It's Alright", Carlotta reveals that Simone has been waking up in the middle of the night screaming, and asks her why, hoping Simone will open up to her. Simone doesn't reply anything, but we can assume that it was because of Otis raping her, or Star killing Otis. When Star walks in, Carlotta stops talking to Simone.
Simone has a dream that Otis is still alive, and that he is going to rape her again , and she wakes up scared. She goes downstairs with a bottle of whiskey in her hand, and takes a couple of Miss Bruce's pills. When she takes them and washes them down with whiskey, Carlotta asks her from upstairs if Simone is going to church with her. Simone says that she will meet her in the car and that she's ready. She takes a couple of more pills, washes them down, and puts the pills in her sweater.
When Simone and Carlotta arrive at church, Pastor Bobby Harris asks Simone when she is going to sing with them. Carlotta jumps in and says that she's given up on trying to convince her, and Simone responds to both of them by saying that she doesn't know any gospel sings. Carlotta tells her to just sing, and Pastor tells her to let the lord use her, and he'll bless her everytime. he then asks the choir to help her out, and she starts to sing the song "It's Alright".
Simone goes unconscious after singing, and Carlotta finds the pills in her sweater. She is still unconscious in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Simone arrives at the hospital, and is still unconscious. She gets a vision of her mom, Mary, singing "Come Back (Home) To Me", to try to get Simone to come back to her. Star counters this telling Simone that she can't live without her. Simone starts singing about how battered and bruised she is, and how she can't live life like that anymore, and how she wants to see her mother. Star tells her to come back and that she needs her and Simone is unable o make a decision. Just as she reaches out for her mother, a nurse brings her back to consciousness.
Simone is finally stable, and wakes up to find Star by her side, singing "Come Back (Home) To Me", waiting for Simone to wake up. Simone wakes up and tells Star hi, and Star starts to cry. Simone says that she saw their mother, and that their mother was ready for her. Simone then says that she almost didn't want to come back and Star asks her why she did. Simone says that she came back for Star. Star says that their mother was a junkie and that's how she died, and tells Simone to get it together or she will too, and that she can't lose her because it took her too long to find her. Simone asks star about the contest, and when Star says that it's over, and tells Simone to stop, Simone says the song was dope. Star tells her that she just O'D, and Simone tells Star she's worried that someone might come looking for them because of what they did to Otis.
When Star and Alex break Simone out of the hospital and take her to the recording studio so they can record their demo for Atlanta Next Fest, Carlotta finds the studio they're at and starts to argue with Star, demanding that Simone come back to the hospital. Star calls Simone in there and Simone gets mad mad at Star and Carlotta for talking about her like she's not there. Simone only goes back to the hospital because if she didn't go back back the hospital would call the cops.
Simone, Star, and Alex perform their demo inside of the psych ward, because Simone is unable to leave the hospital.
Otis is in Carlotta's salon, trying to apply for a job, and Simone immediently recognizes his voice. She wakes up Star, who doesn't believe her, but goes downstairs anyway. he leaves before Star and Simone get downstairs and makes Star even more skeptical, but Simone swears to star that it was him.
Simone performs "I Feel A Song" along with the other members of Take Three, representing God's Blessings Hair Salon
When Simone finds that Otis is back, she takes Carlotta's gun and goes after him. She finds him in the parking deck, and holds him at gunpoint. He says that he missed her and asks is Simone if she's happy to see him. She tells him that she's not going anywhere with him because he hurt her. He says that she can run all she wants but he will always find her. When Star finds him, we assume that Simone killed him.
While sitting at Carlotta's kitchen table, Simone tells them that she wasn't the one who killed Otis, which leaves everyone asking who did.
When Carlotta asks Simone to bring up more conditioner from the garage, Simone finds a box of some of Carlotta's Mixed Harmony stuff. She finds a tape of her mother singing "Unlove You", and brings it upstairs to her room.
As Derek is giving Simone flyers to put up at her school, a police car passes by, and Simone gets nervous because of what they did to Otis. Carlotta then tells her to keep walking, and tells Simone that she needs to try and forget about what happened. Simone tells Carlotta that she found the video of her mom singing. Carlotta gets mad at first, and asks Simone why she was going through her stuff. Simone says she found it by the conditioner, and Carlotta tells her that her and Mary was a long time ago.
Simone tries to tell Star and Alex that she has a song, and they go in her room and listen to her mom singing "Unlove You". Simone gets Alex immediately hooked on the idea, but Star is more skeptical. After Star finally agrees, she and the rest of Take Three perform a more modern version of "Unlove You".
Simone and Pastor Bobby Harris talk about how Simone should try going to a recovery group for addicts. Simone says that she's already clean, and Pastor says that the recovery will help her stay that way. Carlotta then walks out, and pastor tells her about the recovery group. Carlotta says that she thinks that will be good for Simone and help her get better, and Simone tells Carlotta that she invited the pastor over for Sunday dinner.
Simone helps Alex dress like a common civilian because she was invited to Derek's uncle's barbecue, and wants Simone's help to help her blend in. She also tells her to not use big words and to slouch a little bit. Star walks in with a outfit that she's going to wear to the charity event, and Alex tells her that she's going to Derek's barbecue first. Star tells them that Hunter wants her to be his "street bitch", and they all start laughing. Star tells Alex that she needs to kill it at the charity event, and to not let her get in Alex's head. Alex leaves, and Simone asks Star why she has to do stuff like that. Star tells her to grow up, but Simone counters it with by saying that star needs to grow up and stop hurting people. Star says that Alex shouldn't have accepted the lead part, and Simone asks her why she can't put her ego on hold and be supportive of someone else. She then says that Star didn't act like that when they were kids.Simone is seen along with the rest of the staff at God's Blessings Hair Salon, shocked at the death of Danielle Jackson.
Simone and Alex agree to perform at Derek's Black Lives Matter protest, and write a song for the event. Star walks in and asks what is going on, and Simone tells her that Derek wants them to write a song for the rally. star says that she likes that, but Alex says she doesn't want it to be another social media op, and that she's taking a stand, and that she's black wherever she goes. Star asks Simone if that's how she feels being half black, and Simone says people don't see her that way. star walks out, and Simone asks Alex if they should follow her. Alex says Simone can if she wants to, but Simone doesn't.
Simone wants to go with Alex to the protest, but Carlotta won't let her go. if Simone did choose to go, she wouldn't be able to come back. This makes Simone mad, and she ices out Carlotta.
After Carlotta refused to let Simone go to the protest, Simone turns to the pastor for help. She tells him about the rally, and how Carlotta won't let her go. He says that she's probably just worried for her safety, but Simone tells him that it's just going to be a peaceful protest. he says that he's not going to get in between Simone and Carlotta, and Simone says that the reason the country is what it is, because nobody will stick up for anybody, and tells him to go back to praying.
Simone gets upset when she finds out that the officer who shot Danielle didn't get indicted, and Carlotta tries to get her and Alex to leave before the violent rioting starts. Simone is ready to leave, but Alex refuses to leave without Derek. Alex tries to get her to come with them, but ultimately Carlotta and Simone leave without Alex.
While Simone and Star rehearse for the block party, Simone asks Star is she's ever been locked up. Star says that she has for petty stuff, and calls Simone a "sometimey bitch", and Simone tells her that she has a big ass head. Alex walks in hopeless and says that there is no way they are going to raise 25,000 dollars at a block party, but Star says that they have to try and Simone tells Star to ask Alex about her mom. Simone says that she wonders who else has money and looks at Star, hinting about Hunter.Simone performs "Waterfalls" at the block party with Take Three.
Simone and Alex have not heard from Star since she quit Take Three, and Simone says that Star won't return her calls. Alex says that Jahil really got to Star, and Simone says that he was wrong for what he did, and that the whole situation is razy. She then lies to Carlotta, and says that Alex offered to drive her to school, and Carlotta says yes. Alex asks Simone where they are really going and Simone says Hunter's because something's not right.
The police and Juanita come to God's Blessings to take Simone back into Child Protective Services' custody, but Simone tries to fight with them, and begs Carlotta to not take them , and there is a flashback to where they took Simone from Star five years ago. Ultimately there is nothing Carlotta can do and Simone ends up in custody.
While in custody of CPS, Simone tells Juanita that they can't keep her in there and that she needs to see her sister, and Juanita asks her to kindly sit down. Simone says that she can't believe that this is happening, and Juanita tells her the the officers said that they think someone in Carlotta's house was the one that killed Otis and that the situation isn't going away and that Simone needs to talk to her. Juanita tells her that Otis was last seen in Atlanta and asks her questions like when was the last time she saw him. Simone says that "they" didn't do anything so she did, and Juanita asks her what she's saying, Simone says that she killed Otis. Juanita asks her if she killed him just to clarify, and Simone says that she took Carlotta's gun and shot him. Juanita wants to make sure Simone knows that she is confessing to murder, and Simone says yes, and that she would do it again. Juanita says that Simone could have came to her and she would have put her in a different home, but Simone says that it just would have happened again and that Otis wasn't the first foster father has raped her.When Simone's story didn't check out with the evidence, Detective Batista knew that she wasn't the one who killed Otis, and allows Star to see her. Simone tells Star that she's sorry, and Star says that it's over. Simone asks hat she means, and Star tells her that the officers know that Simone didn't kill Otis. Simone says that she's confused because she really thought that she was the one who killed Otis because she had Miss Carlotta's gun, and then Starr took it, but Star tells her that the bullets didn't match so she couldn't have been the one that did it, and Simone is left wondering about who killed Otis.
An officer from Atlanta Next Fest has come to tell Jahil and the girls that Atlanta Next Fest doesn't allow for any last minute changes. Simone asks what that means, and the person explains to them that Jahil signed them up as a four girl group with Eva, therefor they have to perform with Eva, or they can't perform at all. When he leaves, the girls start yelling at Jahil, and Simone points out that they've been a trio the entire competition.]Star kicks him and punches him, and Simone holds her back from doing anymore damage. Jahil takes Cotton home, and tells them to decide what they want to do, and Star when refuses to let Eva in the group, Simone says that the stuff Star is saying doesn't matter, and that Star originally wanted the dream of them becoming singers, now Simone wants it just as badly as she does. Simone tells her to get off her ass, talk to Eva, and win the competition.Simone is left alone by Star after the group performs because she assumes that Simone can catch a ride with Alex or Jahil. While trying to find Alex, Simone accidentally runs into Jahil and Eva, and neither of them know that she is there. Eva says that it was brilliant to trick them into thinking that they had to be a foursome, and Simone hears everything.
Simone is the one who tells Star about Eva and Jahil tricking them. Simone wants to confront them, but Star says no, and that they now have the element of surprise on their side. Simone says that they made the group look like fools, and Star says that she understands that, but they don't know that they know, and they are going to make them regret it.
Simone and Star are waiting for news about Derek and Alex after the got in a car accident. The doctor says that she'll keep them posted while walking away, Simone tells her to wait but Star gets an attitude ans says that they've been posted. Simone tries to change the subject by asking Star about Hunter, ans Star tells her that he bought them ("us") a house. Simone asks who "us" is, and Star says just her and Hunter. Simone takes a second to process the news, and Star said that they needed to figure out if they were real. Simone asks Star if she loves him, Star says she thinks so, but Simone asks her of she really loves him, or is it just because he's a pro football player. Star says she wanted him because he played football, and who doesn't want a football player. Simone says that she would have gone for a rapper, and they laugh.
Simone is there when Alex tells the news that she's pregnant, and when Star starts making Alex feel guilty, Simone steps in and asks Star if she really thought Alex planned to get pregnant. Simone also offers to babysit for Alex, and Carlotta walks in. Star tells Alex to tell Carlotta, and Simone is the one to tell her that Alex is pregnant. They all comfort her.
Simone, Alex, and Star are all in their room together, when Alex notices Star's face and asks who she had beat up that time. Simone tells Alex that star apparently got into a fight with some thot over Hunter, and they all laugh. Star asks Alex about Derek and Simone aks if she and Derek had decided to keep the baby, and Star asks if she would really bring the baby on tour. Simone makes the suggestion tat they braid its hair like Derek's and they all start to laugh.
Simone walks in on Star trying to cover up the bruise that Hunter gave her, and Star jokes about how hard it is to cover up. Simone asks her what else she is trying to cover up, and Star makes a joke about it, but Simone tells her to stop and asks her if Hunter did that, but Star gets serious and asks her why she's crying, and asks her id she thins she would let a man hit her. Simone asks Star why she is lying to her, and that she knows her because that's her sister. Simone says she's going to kill his ass, and Star says that she's not going to do anything. Simone asks her how could she let someone do that to her, and Star says Simone of all people should know that you don't just let it happen. Simone starts to cry and Star says she's done with him and walk past her. Simone asks where she's going, and Star said that she left her hoodie at Hunter's, and Simone asks her what if Hunter tries something, star gets a tire iron and says she hope he does. Simone calls out to her, but Star says that she'll see her at next Fest.Simone can feel that something isn't right, so she goes to Hunter's to look for Star. When she asks Hunter if he's seen Star, he said that Star hadn't come by, and that's how she knew Hunter was lying. Simone says that she knows that Star came here to get something so she must be there, and Hunter asks her if she's the crazy one and if she has a screw loose in her head. he syas that he's sick of not being trusted and grabs Simone and throws her against a wall and throws her to the floor. he tells to to get out and calls her a bitch, but Simone finds the tire iron Star brought, and take it to Hunter's leg, and then hits him in the head. She runs around the house looking for Star until she finds her locked in a closet. On their way to leave Star asks Simone to give her Hunter's throwing hand, and she hits it with the iron. Simone starts to cry with tears of joy when she and the rest of the group win Atlanta Next Fest, because it was her dream and they worked so hard.
Simone is happy when Carlotta offers to be her and the girls manager, and laughs when star gets upset when she realizes that Carlotta wants 20%.Take Three[]
Simone is in the singing trio group Take Three, along with her sister Star Davis, and Alexandra Crane. Simone is an original member of the group, meaning she was in the group from when it started originally in Pilot.Simone is the only person in the group who has never been unhappy with her position in the group. Simone had quit when Star and Alex were arguing but rejoined after the girls made up.
Appearances (48/48)[]
Solos[]
- "Long Way Home
- Get Your Own
- Freedom
Relationships[]
Karen Williams: Separated (see Simone- Karen Relationship)
- Started:It Ain't Over
- Ended: May The Best Manager Win
Angel Rivera: Married (see Angel- Simone Relationship)
- Started: A House Divided
- Ended: A House Divided
'Nina Ferrera: ‘Mutual Attraction (see Nina-Simone Relationship)
- Started: 'Secrets & Lies’
- Ended: ‘Roots and Wings’