Raven-Symoné

Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman-Maday, professionally known as Raven-Symoné or simply Raven, is an American actress, singer, and director born on December 10, 1985. She rose to prominence as a child performer and became widely recognized for her television roles, including Olivia Kendall on The Cosby Show and Raven Baxter on That's So Raven. Over her career, she has received five NAACP Image Awards, two Kids' Choice Awards, three Young Artist Awards, and five Emmy Award nominations.

Raven-Symoné was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Lydia Gaulden and Christopher Pearman. She began modeling as an infant for Atlanta's Young Faces Inc. agency and later signed with Ford Models in New York City at age two, appearing in advertisements for brands such as Ritz crackers, Jell-O, Fisher-Price, and Cool Whip. At age three, her family relocated to Ossining, New York, where she attended Park School.

She launched her acting career in 1989 after auditioning for the film Ghost Dad, which led to Bill Cosby casting her as Olivia Kendall on The Cosby Show. Following the end of the series in 1992, she played Nicole Lee on the sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper from 1993 to 1997. During this era, she also entered the music industry, signing with MCA Records and releasing her debut studio album, Here's to New Dreams, in 1993. She made her feature film debut in The Little Rascals in 1994, followed by roles in Dr. Dolittle, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, and Dr. Dolittle 2. Her second album, Undeniable, was released in 1999.

In 2003, Raven-Symoné landed her breakthrough leading role as the psychic teenager Raven Baxter on the Disney Channel series That's So Raven. The show became a major success and launched a broad media franchise. During this period, she starred in the television movie The Cheetah Girls and its sequel, while also voicing characters in Kim Possible and the animated Tinker Bell film franchise. Her music career expanded with the release of the studio albums This Is My Time in 2004 and Raven-Symoné in 2008, alongside contributions to platinum- and gold-certified Disney soundtracks.

Raven-Symoné featured in the comedy film College Road Trip in 2008 and the television film Revenge of the Bridesmaids in 2010, followed by a starring role in the sitcom State of Georgia in 2011. In 2012, she made her Broadway debut playing Deloris van Cartier in the musical Sister Act. From 2015 to 2016, she served as a permanent co-host on the daytime talk show The View, earning two Emmy Award nominations. She also held a recurring role as Rhonda Johnson on Black-ish from 2015 to 2020.

Beginning in 2017, Raven-Symoné executive produced and starred in Raven's Home, a spin-off of That's So Raven that ran until 2023. Beyond acting, she has established a career as a television director, helming episodes of series such as Raven's Home, Bunk'd, Sydney to the Max, Pretty Freekin Scary, and The Ms. Pat Show. She has also served as a television host, presenting the reality pilot What Not to Design in 2021 and hosting the game show Scrabble in 2024.