Orangeburg native haunts Disney’s mansion; actress plays Egyptian queen’s ghost in movie

The Orangeburg native has been on runways, sets and stages for years. Nevertheless, being featured in Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” is a milestone she “could not have possibly dreamed of,” Simone said.

The original “Haunted Mansion” movie premiered in 2003.

The film was inspired by the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disney theme parks. During the ride, passengers are taken on a tour of the mansion, in which ghosts appear.

Simone says “there’s a plethora of ghosts” in this summer’s reboot. She plays the ghost of an Egyptian queen.

Simone, the daughter of Michelle and Terrence Hunter, graduated from Bethune-Bowman High School.

“Coming from Orangeburg, there may not be a lot of opportunity in the industry, but what matters is where you’re going,” she said.

She obtained her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of South Carolina in 2018. At USC she minored in theater, continuing her lifelong passion for performing.

Simone had an early start in entertainment.

She began modeling and acting at 9 years old. She also took singing lessons. Her interest in modeling started after realizing she was tall for her age “and wasn’t really interested in sports.”

She matriculated from the modeling development program at DeAbreu Modeling Consulting in Columbia with the number 1, top model spot.

Simone credits the program with training her, teaching her new skills and introducing her to acting.

“You see the glitz and glam of things. So many people think it’s easy to walk the runway or act, but it’s not,” she said.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Simone decided to follow her pastor’s advice of being “creative in crisis” by becoming a full-time actor.

“After putting more time and effort in it, I saw an incline in my career. If you want something to stick, you have to build that strong foundation and keep going – just like anything in life,” she said.

Careers in the entertainment and film industry are a common theme in her family.

Simone’s sister is a 2D-animator and editor, and her cousin is a film director in Atlanta.

“I like the creativity and freedom of the career. This is what I consider my passion. I’ll do this up to 90 years old,” Simone said.

She says playing a role in a Disney film is a milestone and she “never thought I would be in the room with A-listers.”

“It was cool to see them in that element. Being able to have direct contact with Owen Wilson made me the most star struck,” she said.

Simone was also in a scene with Tiffany Haddish and got her hair and makeup done in the same trailer as Haddish and LaKeith Standfield.

“Haunted Mansion” stars also included Jamie Lee Curtis and Rosario Dawson.

While on set, Simone was in awe of the high-quality lighting and designs.

“I felt like I was in the place they were trying to portray,” she said.

She says her 9-year-old self would be astonished and questioning if her recent success is real.

“Actually seeing dreams come true is another level. If you keep pushing and keep going with hard work and consistency, it all works,” she said.

Simone has worked with notable companies throughout her career in the entertainment industry, including L’Oréal cosmetics, Hilton Hotels, Chick-fil-A, Nissan and the Palmetto Golf Association.

In 2022 she was featured in Hallmark’s “Girlfriendship” starring Tamera Mowry.

She recently completed scenes for a film by Maverick entertainment, in which she plays a lead role. Simone says “Single, Saved & Searching” is projected to come out by the end of the year.

She plans on updating her reel and finding an agency to represent her on the west side of the country.

Her goal is to get bigger roles in major films while staying true to her beliefs.

“I try to encourage other people in the industry by telling them, ‘You can still do this without compromising your values.’ At the end of the day, I have to answer to God,” she said.

Although landing a Disney movie was a milestone, Simone hopes to “continue to progress.”

“I’m going to take it a step further. I like to top what I last did,” she said.

“Haunted Mansion” appeared in theaters on July 28.