By Christina Radish

Raven-Symone at the premiere of "College Road Trip" held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. on March 3, 2008.

Honing her comedy skills since early childhood, 22-year-old Raven-Symone is best known as the lead character of the hugely successful Disney Channel series That’s So Raven. With a huge international fan base as an actress, singer and songwriter, and known for her high-energy personality and unusual maturity for someone who found fame so young, the former star of The Cosby Show spoke with MediaBlvd Magazine about how she’s managed to stay so focused on her career without letting the common distractions of Hollywood get in her way.

MediaBlvd Magazine> With all the things that you could have done for your big screen debut, what made you pick this film?

Raven-Symone> Actually, I was attached to a lot of different scripts, and none of them went through. This is the first one that went through. But, if the script wasn’t something I liked, I wouldn’t have gone with it. I loved the father/daughter story. I loved that it’s especially touching, on a subject that’s important to talk about in today’s day and age. The father/daughter relationship is very strained right now, and I think it’s very important to show that it’s possible for a father to have a healthy relationship with his daughter. You just have to work at it. There are so many things that can tear you apart, but if you care enough, it will fit back together.

MediaBlvd> How did you like being an executive producer?

Raven> I enjoyed being a producer. I actually have to say that I just took a step back because this was my first executive producer title on a big screen movie. I didn’t want to walk into it, acting like I knew what I was doing. So, I just made sure I paid attention to the people that gave me this opportunity. Producing on The Cheetah Girls 2 and That’s So Raven, I understood TV, but it’s definitely different with the big screen. There’s a lot more politics involved.

MediaBlvd> Was Martin already signed on to do the film when you signed on, or did you sign on first?

Raven> The pig came on first. I’m dead serious. I remember the day they were like, “So, do you want to do this movie? Oh, you do? Good, because we are gonna get the pig right now.” So, they already had it scheduled. I think Martin and I signed on simultaneously.

MediaBlvd> Did you or Martin ad-lib any of the scenes?

Raven> In each scene, there are definitely a couple of lines that are ad-libbed. But, that’s not just because of me and Martin. That’s also because of Mr. Roger Kumble, the director. He’s a writer, too. He’d come in there, all the time, and say, “Okay, change this line and say this.” I think that came with the people they hired. We love to have fun. We loved taking something and twisting it and working it, to make it mold to us. Martin will improv, but he makes sure his co-stars are right there with him, so that they don’t get caught off-guard, and everybody looks smart.

MediaBlvd> Did you take any funny road trips with your own dad, growing up?

Raven> I went on a road trip with my entire family -- my mom, my dad, my brother and my 70-pound-dog -- in a truck, across country from Los Angeles to Atlanta. And, I was fighting with a 70-pound-dog and a brother who is bigger than me to sleep on the couch rather than sleeping on the floor of the truck with the McDonalds’ bags.

MediaBlvd> Did you have any real cabin fever moments during filming, like you did in the movie?

Raven> Actually, the air conditioning in the car didn’t work, so it was a little hot. But, I enjoyed my time with Martin. We had a lot to talk about because the car scenes were done in the beginning, so we could learn about each other. That was good scheduling on Roger Kumble’s part.

MediaBlvd> Disney tends to have a lot of its stars work on movies together. Was this like a reunion, with Brenda Song and Margo Harshman?

Raven> Yeah. Brenda and I literally worked next door to each other, and I’ve known Margo from different events. It was good to have familiar faces. It was kind of like having distant cousins chillin’ with you. And, also, Kym Whitley played my cousin on That’s so Raven. It was good to have that. I love that Disney keeps it all in the family.

MediaBlvd> When you first moved out and got your own place, was it anything like the drama in the movie?

Raven> The day that I left, my mom was like, “No! Wait, wait, wait!” And, I was like, “I’m packing,” and I left. I went to go live with my friend for a little while, and then I found my own place. But, I made sure my mom knew I was responsible and could take care of myself. Auto payment is amazing, especially when you are young and moving out. I learned how to balance a checkbook when I was in middle school, so I understood the concept of money. My parents taught it to me well. I also knew I wasn’t responsible enough to write checks and keep up with paper, but I will use the Internet all day. So, I just found the right way to live, by what I knew I could do.

MediaBlvd> How do you stay on the right path, and not go off track, like some of the young stars in Hollywood do?

Raven> I have a lot of goals I need to reach, and I don’t want anything to stop me. I have people around me that tell me the truth. I don’t want you to tell me, “Yes,” just because you think I might look cute. If I look crazy, I need you to tell me. If I look bad in this outfit, I need to change it.

MediaBlvd> Did you ever have a rebellious phase?

Raven> I’m still rebellious. I wasn’t like, “Mom, I’m leaving the house and I’m not coming back for three days.” It was never like that. I’ve always known my life is a business, in a sense, and I have to take care of that because I really want to succeed, and that requires hard work now, so I can relax later. But, I’ve had my time. I’ve been on punishment. I failed algebra and went to summer school twice, and got in trouble.

MediaBlvd> Have you ever taken any college courses, or thought about doing that in the future?

Raven> I do want to take business courses. I’m just doing so much work now, and I think college is a job, all in itself. I want to give it 3,000 percent. I don’t want to just throw my money down the drain. I believe that you can go to college at any age in your life, especially now with the technology that we have. Some people may not think college is for them, right out of high school. Some people might get mad at me for saying that, but with all the opportunities that we have in this world, you should go to college when you are ready to, so that you can give it all of your attention. People drop out, and then you waste your parents money, or your money, and it’s a waste of everyone’s time.

MediaBlvd> What advice would you give to young girls, who are just getting ready to college, or move out?

Raven> I think you have to help your parents get ready for that jump, just as much as you have to get ready for it yourself. You have to show responsibility in the house, early on. You can’t just be lollygagging around the house saying, “Oh, my God, I’m going to my friend’s house. I’ll clean up later.” You can’t do that, if you want your parents to trust you. You have to show that you can take care of yourself. The only reason some parents hold on longer is because they are not seeing the adult side of you. So, suck it up, and get it done.

MediaBlvd> How far out do you have your life planned?

Raven> I plan pretty far, but I plan in pencil. Therefore, I can always erase and change things up, where need be. I’ve learned that you always look at the finished product and work backwards, so that you make sure you reach where you need to go. That’s what I do with everything that I say and do, down to what I wear and what I look like. I’m trying to retire on a mountain with a fabulous company. That’s what I want.

MediaBlvd> Would you like to direct?

Raven> I would love to direct, later in life. And, I definitely want to master producing. I really like it.    

MediaBlvd> Do you ever catch old reruns of The Cosby Show?

Raven> I can’t do it. I don’t even look, if it’s me. I can only watch it once. When I watch something with my face, I don’t watch it for enjoyment. I watch it to see if the cues are right and the editing is right, and all that kind of stuff.

MediaBlvd> What’s the sound of your next album going to be like? How have you evolved?

Raven> It’s more commercial this time. The last one was a little bit more pop. This one is more Hip-Hop. It has the same message, which is self-confidence, respect and understanding that you’re worth everything that you are. I had people like Shawn Galley, The Clutch, The Nightriders, Frankie Storm, and The Jam. A whole bunch of people worked on this album. 

MediaBlvd> How many tracks are going to be on the album?

Raven> I think it’s gonna be 12. And, there will be two or three bonus tracks, depending on where you buy the album.

MediaBlvd> Are you going to go on tour to support the album?

Raven> Yes, my tour starts in April and ends in August. It’s gonna be a pajama tour. Whoever comes to my tour, has to wear their pajamas. But, keep it PG, people.