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Raven
Symoné is no stranger to the small screen. She's been a beloved
funny lady for years and with her new series State of Georgia, she
hopes to maintain this quality.
The series tells the adventures and misadventures of aspiring actress
Georgia, played by Raven, and her science-loving best friend Jo
as they move from the south and try to survive in the Big Apple
with the help of Georgia's Aunt Honey.
Sounds like something Chelsea and Raven Baxter would have done
back in the day. So when PCM's Kristyn had the chance to ask Raven
how she thought Georgia compared to her other roles, Raven explained,
"She is a strong-willed individual, she could be flighty at
times, but at the same time she is very gallant and she knows that
her core is the passing moment and that's probably a characteristic
in characters that I choose all the time because it's very important
for females to stay confident and to go off and venture into the
world, but to come back knowing that you have family to come back
to. I think some forget to venture and then they just get stuck;
because you have to go and enjoy yourself."
As for what Raven is enjoying most about working with the new series?
Her cast mates Majandra Delfino (Jo) and Loretta Devine (Aunt Honey)
were at the top of her list. "They're absolutely amazing; I'm
learning so much from Miss Loretta and Majandra and just how to
morph myself into different things and relearning more acting tips
and tricks, and being able to create a new family." She also
stated that they hit off immediately, having "instant chemistry."
Raven had a lot more to share about what it's been like working
on the set of State of Georgia and getting into Georgia's head.
You can read it all below!

How easy was it for you to get into the character with Georgia,
since you're originally from Atlanta?
Well, actually Georgia and I would have grown up in different parts
of Atlanta, and so it was actually interesting being able to play
someone that - I guess her and I would have been a little bit different
ends of the school. So it was fun actually getting to play that
character and blending it in to who I am now and finding a happy
medium, so I'm no longer mad at the cheerleaders that I grew up
with, because now it works for Georgia.
Could you describe the show a little more?
The show is about a young lady who moves to New York with her best
friend into her Aunt Honey where Loretta Devine has a condo in New
York, she wants to become famous. And her best friend is a physicist
or she's trying to become one, and it's the trials and tribulations
of these two girls having a great time in New York, taking odd jobs
here and there, trying to find their way, while having that Down
South, more homey type vibe to them, it's fun.
Can you tell us more about a favorite scene or an episode that
you've already filmed?
There's so many different areas that we touch in each episode that
it's going to be hard for me to actually, because there's one's
where we're singing, there's ones where we're just dressing up,
there's ones where we're doing standup comedy, and I have such a
deep bowl of things that I love to do, it's hard for me to think
just one.
What was it about this particular role that drew you back to
television?
Well actually before this role came to my attention I had already
sold the pilot to ABC Family with another writer, and while that
was in the works, they came to me and said, "Well, we have
a pilot ready to go, we think that you would like it." I read
it and I said, "Sure, you never know: this might go, it might
not go," just more fires out there the better. And so that's
what happened, but this one just got picked up super quick. We got
a wonderful cast and here we are.
What was it specifically about Georgia that made you want to
play her?
think she's a great character. She goes in line with the other
characters that I've played before. She is probably a good mold
of what this generation is, but will never be able to get famous
super quick over Twitter.
Do you have any desire to do anything else, or is acting it
for you?
It's a lot of desires to do other things, but I have to finish
the party, and I'm going to work on other things as well.
What is your favorite thing about starring in a comedy?
I guess you create a family, hopefully for many years, with the
cast and crew and the writers and the producers. I get to play a
character that I love and enjoy hopefully for many times, and I
get to grow with that character while I grow, and they grow, and
that's what I like about it.
What achievements are you the most proud of in your career?
My semi-sanity. The fact that I can feel joy going home and it's
not the glitz and the glamour that really drives me, it's the fact
that I need to, I get the thrill of making someone else laugh, or
someone else feel emotion; that's very much a selfless act. And
that's what I, no matter what character I choose, I try to make
it about that, otherwise I'll go crazy.
What's it like being an actress yourself, who is playing an
aspiring one on State of Georgia? Can you relate to her?
Of course I can. It's very difficult in this industry to do what
you like or become anything or to get a break and she's very determined,
but sometimes unnoticed. And then it's enough to where I can maneuver
in situations that I don't want to be in, and she's still learning;
it's quite funny.
And what advice do you have for aspiring actors?
To be very professional; always professional, and to enjoy yourself.
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