Raven-Symone, best known for her roles as the adorable tyke Olivia on The Cosby Show, and as the lead character on the eponymous That’s So Raven, will step into more serious shoes Monday night. Based on a true story, Lifetime’s For One Night follows the story of Raven’s character, who causes violent controversy when she seeks to end her high school’s tradition of racially segregated proms.

The show premieres tonight, and will repeat several times throughout the week, so be sure to check your local listings. We were fortunate enough to screen an advance copy, and it is obvious that the comedy-trained Raven-Symone could have a shining future in dramatic series. This would be an excellent film to watch with your family, and discuss the issues afterwards.

“I was so excited to be a part of this,” Raven-Symone says. “I’d always held out on doing a dramatic piece, because I didn’t want my first step into drama being a superficial, thin story. I thought this was just thick enough to show people [what I can do]. I don’t want to do pieces that don’t make a difference, and this being a true story made it even more perfect for me.”

“For One Night” may startle viewers by showing such prejudice still exists some places, but Raven-Symone maintains she isn’t surprised. “I come from the South (Atlanta), and there’s still racism there. A lot of people don’t want to open their minds to the new world, and I never said that’s everybody, and it’s not saying I think their beliefs are wrong. They haven’t opened their eyes completely. It’s not stupidity, it’s just ignorance ... not knowing the facts, not wanting to change.

“You get that sometimes, and you just have to walk away from the situation sometimes. Otherwise, you can get yourself in trouble and get your emotions tied in, then bad stuff can happen. If you can handle it responsibly, and you’re smart and educated on the subject, you’ll be OK.”

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