Cosby's Raven-Symoné Grows Up

Former Cosby Show cutie Raven-Symoné (she played Lisa Bonet's pint-sized stepdaughter) has no intention of following in the footsteps of Dana Plato (Diff'rent Strokes) and Anissa Jones (Family Affair) — both of whom were casualties of TV's child-star curse.

"I do the best that I can not to end up like that," the now-15-year-old actress tells TV Guide Online. "[My] family keeps me very down to earth. And I was raised in Atlanta, not really in Hollywood." What's more, she says her friends warn her if "they see anything starting to look just a little bit big-headed."

Of course, the exception being if Symoné ever finds herself sharing screen time with a young hottie like rapper Lil' Zane — who plays her love interest in Dr. Dolittle 2 (opening Friday). "I called up every single girl I knew," she gushes. "I was like, 'Yo girl, guess who I'm going to be playing opposite.'"

Unfortunately, Symoné — herself an accomplished singer — soon discovered that her big-screen romance was more tease than torrid. "We had a scene where we go in the park for a little picnic, and I thought I was in a dream," she remembers. "We were thisclose [to kissing] and then a monkey jumps up and interferes. The monkey was about to get slapped!"

Well, if Symoné has it her way, she'll someday have her pick of leading men. Although she fully intends to make time for college, her long-term goal is to conquer Hollywood. "In ten years I want the movie to be starring Raven-Symoné," she beams. "Raven-Symoné's movie — it's hers."