Raven-Symoné : Role: Olivia Kendall
Birthday : 10th December 1985
Birthplace : Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Birth Name : Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman
Recent Role : Herself on Today
Height : 5′ 2½” (1.59 m)
Gender : Female

Raven Symoné

Raven-Symoné was born as the daughter of Lydia Gaulden and Christopher B. Pearman. She has a brother who is named Blaize. While living in Ossining, New York, Raven studied at the Park School. Later, she pursued her further studies at Webb Bridge Middle School and North Springs High School, both of which are located in Atlanta. She graduated from high school in 2004.

Raven plans to go to a culinary school. She started singing when she was only 4 years old. She enjoys all types of music ranging from ‘50 cent’ to Avril Lavigne and Björk. She likes to watch the animated series South Park and her favorite game is scrabble. She is a descendent of both the Native American and African American ancestors.

Raven was only an infant when she started her career as a model. At that time she worked with the Young Faces Inc. Modeling Agency in Atlanta, who used her in local print advertisements. When she was two years old, she appeared in the commercials for Ritz crackers, Jell-O, Fisher-Price, and Cool Whip, while working with the Ford Models in New York City.

Raven’s first Broadway performance was at the age of five. In 2005, she ranked at number 84 on the “100 Greatest Kid Stars” of VH1. In the same year, she was placed at number 17 in the 50 Cutest Child Stars All Grown-Up list, by E! In her 18th year, Raven was assessed to be the 8th hottest teen female star of 2003. In addition she has been honored by city of Winnfield by giving her the key to the city. They also declared December 20, 1989, to be the Raven-Symoné Day.
At three years of age Raven auditioned for a part in the movie Ghost Dad. However, being two young she could not get the part and was instead recommended for the role of Olivia on The Cosby Show. The rest, as they say, is history.

Besides working on The Cosby Show, Raven has worked in over two dozen other shows where she has portrayed a wide range of characters. Her most prominent performances on the small screen have been on shows like, A Different World, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, The Proud Family, Fillmore!, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Kim Possible, That’s So Raven, American Dad and various other shows.

Raven has proved her acting prowess on the big screen as well and has impressed millions of movie fanatics with her performances. Her movies include The Little Rascals, Doctor Dolittle, Dr. Dolittle 2, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Fat Albert, Everyone’s Hero and College Road Trip. Her upcoming movie named Little Fockers, is currently being filmed and is supposed to be released sometime in 2010.

In addition, Raven has also produced the projects The Cheetah Girls, The Cheetah Girls 2, That’s So Raven and College Road Trip. Moreover, she has also contributed in the music department of That’s So Raven besides performing in the soundtrack of The Muppets at Walt Disney World, Ella Enchanted, Ice Princess and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, etc.

Moreover, Raven has also acted in various music videos including Kim Possible: The Secret Files, That’s So Raven: Supernaturally Stylish, That’s So Raven: Disguise the Limit, That’s So Raven: Raven’s Makeover Madness, Raven-Symoné: Raven’s Postcards from Spain and Tinker Bell. Her upcoming videos Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure and Tinker Bell: A Midsummer Storm are currently under various stages of production.

In addition to all this, Raven is also a very good singer. In 2005, she became the youngest person who has ever been signed by MCA records. She released her first album on 22nd June 1993, when she was only eight years old. The album was titled Here’s to New Dreams. Her other albums include Undeniable, This Is My Time and Raven-Symoné. In addition she has also conducted two concert tours till date. The first one named This Is My Time Tour was organized in 2006 and the second one named Raven-Symoné: Live in Concert Tour was conducted in 2008/2009.

For her wide ranged contribution to the entertainment industry, Raven has already been bestowed with ten prestigious awards besides having been nominated for another twenty awards. She has won five Image Awards in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, under the category of Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Program - Series or Special, for That’s So Raven. She has also won two Blimp Awards at Kid’s Choice Awards in 2004 and 2005, under the category of Favorite TV Actress for That’s So Raven.

In addition, she has also won two Young Artist Awards in 1991 and 2005. She won the award for the first time under the category of Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress Under Nine for her role in The Cosby Show. She shared the award with her co-stars from That’s So Raven, under the category of Outstanding Young Performers in a TV Series. In 2005, she also won the Michael Landon Award at the Young Artist Awards.

Raven has been nominated once each for Young Star Award, NAMIC Vision Awards, and Black Reel Awards. She has received two nominations for BET Comedy Awards. She has been nominated thrice each for Image Awards and Teen Choice Awards. She has also been nominated four times each for Young Artist Award and Kid’s Choice Awards.

Role In The Cosby Show

In The Cosby Show, Raven plays the role of Olivia Kendall. She is the stepdaughter of Denise Huxtable and the first grandchild of Cliff and Clair Huxtable. She was introduced on the show as a talented three year old girl. After her father, Martin’s re-marriage she moved with him to the house of her step-grandparents, the Huxtables. Since her father is a naval officer, she is moistly cared for by her step-mom and her family.