2003: Nippy News Release Articles

Raven Talks About 'Cheetah Girls' and 'Sparkle' Remake
submitted by: Lisa D.
source: Electronic Urban Report
Date: November 3, 2003

RAVING ABOUT RAVEN: The soon-to-be 18 year-old's plate is full.

Raven Symone was the little tyke who took the reigns as the adorable star on "The Cosby Show" just when Keisha Knight-Pullman's character, Rudy, began to blossom. And if you've been following Raven's career, you know that the now grown-up actress is starring on her own show on the Disney Channel, "That's So Raven."

The show is one of the highest rated on the mouse network, but her popularity with the pre-teen/early teen set doesn't stop there. She recently starred in the Disney Channel movie "Cheetah Girls," which is so popular on the channel that insiders are whispering about a follow-up.

"I'm very proud to be a part of something that is one of the hottest movies on the Disney Channel right now," Raven said. "I had a fun time working on it and I think it showed. I think fans enjoyed it as well."

Raven fans were not surprised about her comedic range on the set, but her performance skills opened their eyes to yet another talent. "The Cheetah Girls" follows a band of singing friends. So could a real live tour be far behind? Way behind, Raven tells us.

"I think the Cheetah Girls are going to just be on the screen. None of the touring thing or anything like that," she assured. But as for a big screen, that is a possibility, she says.

"There might be [a movie]. It's doing pretty good so we're looking at it. Nothing is in the plan or anything, but I could've seen it on the big screen. If we do do a second one ... we'll see what happens with the second one."

Next up for the starlet, she'll get to sparkle on the big screen for the remake of "Sparkle." The actress is preparing to take the starring role in the remake of the 1976 musical flick.

"Deborah Martin Chase and my father are executive producing the movie," Raven revealed. "Warner Bros. tried to remake it and Chase thought I should be a part of it and Whitney Houston, too, and that's how it kind of came about."

Raven has not actually seen the original film. She says she's holding out on doing her research.

"I'm going to wait for my leeway into the movie and then I'm going to start doing my 'Sparkle' research. Right now I'm trying to stay focused on 'That's So Raven.'"

"That's So Raven" is in its second season right now, and is expected to wrap up at the end of the year. Then the show is signed up for just one more season - for now. But Raven has no worries about growing out of her role as a teen on the hit show.

"As long as I can put my hair in pig tails, I can play it because I'm short. I'm 17 (she turns 18 this month), but if they want me to play someone 13 or 14, I can play that."

That's no surprise to her dad and long time supporter. He chimed in on some of the other projects the young actress is doing.

"All American Girl' is coming out on Disney Films where Raven saves the president and becomes a national hero," he added. "So we've got a lot of exciting things coming through. Raven's been around for 16 years in this business and very fortunate to work all these years. Her time is coming."

He told us that he's worked closely with Chase and feels that the partnership has been quite successful.

"It was a Warner Bros. picture," he explained, "and it had been floating around. It was slated for Aaliyah, but you know unfortunately she died."

It's obvious how the project moved from casting the late Aaliyah Houghton, but what of the stories about "Sparkle" going to R&B singer Ashanti?

"I hadn't heard anything about that," he confessed. "I don't' make comments on speculation, it has no meaning. To be honest with you, I really don't know. I don't know what the thing was with Ashanti and Ja Rule."