Raven-Symoné[a] Christina Pearman-Maday[7][8] (née Pearman; born December 10, 1985[9]), also known as Raven, is an American actress, singer, and director.

[10] Raven-Symoné began her career as a child actress, rising to fame as Olivia Kendall on The Cosby Show (1989–1992) and Nicole Lee on Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1993–1997).

She also voiced Monique in the animated series Kim Possible (2002–2007), and Iridessa in the fantasy film franchise Tinker Bell.

Raven-Symoné has also directed episodes for several series, including Raven's Home, Bunk'd, Sydney to the Max, Pretty Freekin Scary, and The Ms. Pat Show.

Raven-Symoné released her debut studio album at the age of seven, Here's to New Dreams (1993), which saw the moderate commercial success of the single "That's What Little Girls Are Made Of".

She made her Broadway debut in the musical Sister Act in 2012 and was a co-host of the ABC daytime talk show The View from 2015 to 2016, for which she earned two Emmy nominations.

Raven-Symoné was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Lydia (née Gaulden) and Christopher Pearman.

[15] As an infant, she worked for Atlanta's Young Faces Inc. modelling agency and was featured in local print advertisements.

At the age of two, she worked with Ford Models in New York City and appeared in ads for Ritz crackers, Jell-O, Fisher-Price, and Cool Whip.

She made her debut in the premiere episode of the show's sixth season and remained until the series finale in 1992.

She then appeared as the younger version of Halle Berry's starring character, a headstrong biracial enslaved woman, in the TV movie Alex Haley's Queen.

[21][22] Her debut album, Here's to New Dreams, was released on June 22, 1993, which spawned two singles: "That's What Little Girls Are Made Of" and "Raven Is the Flavor".

[25] In 1993, one year after The Cosby Show ended, Raven-Symoné landed the role of Nicole Lee, Mark's preteen cousin on the sitcom Hangin' with Mr.

In 1994, during her time on the show Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, she had her first film role in The Little Rascals, playing Stymie's girlfriend.

[31] In the same year, she participated in two episodes of the comedy series, My Wife and Kids as Charmaine, Claire's pregnant friend under ABC.

In 2003, she starred as lead singer Galleria Garibaldi in The Cheetah Girls, a Disney Channel Original Movie.

[40] Following the success of the film, Disney began developing The Cheetah Girls as a real-life recording group, but Symoné opted to focus on solo projects.

[41][42] A TV show based on The Cheetah Girls was pitched to the ABC network, but it was never picked up as a series due to Raven-Symoné having prior commitments with That's So Raven.

In the Disney Channel Original Movie, Zenon: Z3, Raven-Symoné reprised her role as Nebula Wade.

[55] The only single released from this album was "Double Dutch Bus", a cover of Frankie Smith's 1981 funk track, which was also used to promote her film College Road Trip.

[56] In 2008, she starred as Melanie Porter in the comedy College Road Trip alongside Martin Lawrence.

Her character, a 17 year old girl, is eager to go to college and plans an all girls road trip with her friends until her overbearing police chief father, James Porter (Martin Lawrence) insists on taking her turning her dream trip into a nightmare with crazy adventures along the way.

In its opening weekend, the film grossed approximately $14 million in 2,706 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking as the No.

[57] From 2008 to 2015, she provided the voice of the character Iridessa, the light-fairy, as a part of the Disney Fairies franchise and direct-to-DVD Tinker Bell film series.

[60] In 2010, Raven-Symoné starred alongside Joanna Garcia in an ABC Family film titled Revenge of the Bridesmaids.

[61][62] She also made a guest appearance on the Disney Channel Original Series Sonny with a Chance alongside Demi Lovato.

[63] She portrayed the character Amber Algoode, the president of Chad Dylan Cooper's fan club.

[74] In 2013, she filmed a cameo in See Dad Run alongside former Hangin' With Mr. Cooper co-star Mark Curry.

[97] In May 2024, she signed an overall deal with Disney Branded Television and will produce the spinoff of Raven's Home titled Alice in the Palace, set to premiere in 2025.