From shopping to going out to dinner, teenage girls acquire many memories with their moms throughout their childhood and adolescence, but according to junior Sophie Gomez, one of her fondest memories with her mom is walking the famed red carpet together.

Sophie’s mom, Katia Gomez, is an actress who recently appeared in the movie  Playing for Keeps. According to Sophie, her mother  has been a big part of her own acting career at South.

“My sister and I both follow in her footsteps a little bit,” Sophie said.

According to Sophie’s father John Gomez, there are clear similarities between Katia and Sophie.

“They’re always running around the house singing and reading lines,” John said. “It gives our house a lot of energy.”

Katia says that Sophie discovered her passion for singing and acting on her own.

“The first time that I ever even knew that she had a desire to sing she was in middle school,” Katia said. “And I just walked by her room and all of a sudden I hear this really beautiful voice and I open the door and I said, ‘Sophie is that you?’ It was incredible.”

According to Sophie, she seeks advice from her mom on many things.

Similarly, Katia said that she also seeks advice from Sophie when it comes to her  own auditions.

“I had a musical piece that I was rehearsing and asked Sophie if she’d help me, and she actually sat down, listened to me and was very honest, ” Katia said. “I love that she can be so candid and open with me like that.”

Katia added that at times when she is really lost, especially with singing, Sophie becomes a vital source for help.

“Sophie’s a really talented singer,” Katia said. “She’s a much better singer than I am; in fact, when I have to sing I need to ask her for advice because the training she’s gotten at GBS is incredible.”

According to Sophie, she and her mom sometimes clash because of their differences, but they are the only ones who can have that connection.

“I’ll criticize her and then she’ll criticize me, and we’ll get [kind of] offended, but then at the same time we’re the only people who would tell each other the truth,” Sophie said.

According to Katia, her entire family was invited to go to the red carpet premiere for Playing for Keeps.

“They walked me up to the red carpet and there were hundreds of people there with cameras,” Katia said. “All of a sudden the cameras started flashing and John, Gaby and Sophie’s faces were in shock. It was a surreal experience for all of us.”

According to Sophie, having her mom in a movie was an amazing experience for everyone in her family.

“I thought it was really cool every time I saw [a commercial for Playing for Keeps],” Sophie said. “I’d be like ‘You’re on TV!’ […] It was really cool. My whole family was screaming.”

Choral director Stevi Marks believes Katia and Sophie are a positive addition to the South community.

“Having [Katia as a] part of GBS certainly enriches our community,” Marks said. “It enriches Sophie’s experience, and Sophie certainly brings that with her here.”

According to junior Megan Kay, Sophie genuinely enjoys being on stage just like her mom.

“I think that theater’s such a perfect fit for her because she’s such an outgoing person, and she’s not self conscious on stage in front of so many people,” Kay said. “I think that her mom had something to do with it, but theater just fits for Sophie, too.”

Junior Hannah Schiller said that Sophie has a strong stage presence.

“I’m sure she looks up to her mom a lot in terms of performance tips and incorporates what she has learned from her mom into her own performance,” Schiller said.

Katia said that having the same interests definitely provides a sense of closeness with her daughter. According to Schiller, that is not a common connection that most moms and daughters can say they have.

“I think that they obviously have a lot more to talk about than a mom who’s a lawyer and [a] daughter [who] sings,” Schiller said.

According to Katia, Sophie’s passion for the arts comes from her own ambitions and desires, and all Katia did was open the door to that world.

“Maybe it’s in her genes, or maybe by being exposed to it she wanted do it and became inspired,” Katia said.