email this
print this‘Raven’ star has plans to rule the world
By Maria Elena Fernandez
Los Angeles Times
HOLLYWOOD – Raven-Symone wanted to talk “Cheetah.”
The 20-year-old star of Disney Channel’s longest-running series, “That’s So Raven,” was holding court during the TV industry’s publicity tour at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel in Pasadena earlier this month and was not to be dissuaded from the task at hand: promoting the August premiere of “The Cheetah Girls 2.”
As anyone who lives within the proximity of a girl knows, it’s the sequel to “The Cheetah Girls,” the 2003 Disney TV movie about four teens who form their own singing group.
When one TV critic referenced the success of “High School Musical,” another Disney Channel movie, in his question it was met with a pointed attempt to get the query back on track: “I just have to say with all love and respect that ‘Cheetah Girls’ 1 was fly.”
Another who wanted to know whether she still speaks to Bill Cosby got a quick and forceful, “We are talking about Disney!” and then the milder follow-up, “We’re all very busy in this industry. I don’t talk to him as much as I should.”
A third critic asked why the artist formerly known as Raven and Raven Symone has changed her name. Again.
“I’m so sorry that I’m not P. Diddy even though I try so hard,” she replied.
She explained that she initially changed her name to separate herself from the Raven character on her show, then realized that her young audience was connected to her original moniker, so she’s back to Raven-Symone. And, she pointed out, nobody can spell it right.
The young actress, who also was executive producer for “The Cheetah Girls 2” and her TV series in its recent seasons, explained that, basically, she wants to take over the world.
To that end, there are “That’s So Raven” dolls, perfume, electronics, clothes, board games, regular card games, jewelry. Even though she’s barely out of adolescence, she’s not satisfied with being an actress and singer. She’s currently on a music tour, and starting her own production company.
“My ultimate goal is to have a business that caters to young girls, that shows them that it’s OK to be yourself and to have self-respect and to know that you’re beautiful no matter what you look like,” she said. “To do that through music, television, lifestyle magazines, Internet, publications of all sorts, in schools and your home. And also being behind the scenes of television now that I’m getting older and really put other people’s dream into fruition.”
