Micah Bowens Dishes On His Famous Daughter Raven Bowens
What was Raven like as a little kid? “She’s always been a pleasure. She’s always been an entertainer and she’s always had a lot of energy. She was the kid who entertained at parties.”
Was she an easy kid or did she keep you on your toes? “Raven was an easy kid with a good heart. She was never any trouble. She followed the rules and did what she was supposed to do. She never talked back or was rebellious or anything. She’s always been very mature. Even at a young age, she made really good decisions.”
What were your biggest fights about when she still lived at home? “The only thing we ever had a fight over, and it wasn’t really much of a fight, was she didn’t want to go to private school. I wanted her to go to private school, and she was determined to go to public school with her friends that she’d gone to middle school with. We’re from southeast San Diego, which is kind of a rough neighborhood. I didn’t want her to go to school there. I wanted her to go to a school where people cared about their education a little more. They had a busing program that took you to a more diverse school. Her mother bused out to the same school when she was in high school. We compromised and instead of going to private school, she ended up going to Serra High School.”
What’s a funny story about Raven as a child? “I live in Vegas, and we were on an airplane going there. Raven was 5-ish and this tiny little thing. Most people are shy at first. Raven has never been shy. People were always amazed at how much and how well she talked. On the airplane she was just, ‘Yap, yap, yap,’ and telling me all these stories. I said, ‘Baby, are you going to talk for the whole flight?’ She said, ‘Yep.’ Then she went on, ‘Yap, yap, yap.’ The person next to us [burst] out laughing.”
What did you think when she developed her interest in acting? “Raven was always interested in acting, dancing and art. She’d put on little scenes at home. I always thought it was cute. When she started doing plays, you could see the talent. But I didn’t know how long or how hard it would be to break into [the business]. You see there is more talent than there are opportunities, and they may choose people [for roles] because of other reasons. Some people jump in front of more talented people. I was always worried about that part, that there might not be enough parts for all the talent. That was my worry, and it’s hard to watch your kids be rejected. It’s probably harder than when you fail. I would be heartbroken every time she didn’t get a part. One time she told me, ‘I’ve got thick skin. I’m used to it and I know what I’m doing. It hurts me more for you guys. I understand this is the cost of doing business.’ After she said that, I knew it was just going to be a matter of time.”
What is it like to watch Raven on DAYS and, before that, other television projects? “Satisfying, proud and a relief more than anything. Like I said, you worry if they get the part or they don’t get the part. If the show gets canceled…. It’s a relief and also proof that her hard work has paid off. Raven has had discipline that I’ve never had. She doesn’t miss an acting class. There’s a lot of satisfaction seeing that her hard work has been rewarded.”
How do you feel about Jackée Harry (Paulina) playing Raven’s mother on DAYS? “I’m a fan, a big fan. I used to watch SISTER, SISTER and 227. That was exciting, finding out Jackée was playing her mom. She’s royalty in the streets.”
How did you celebrate Father’s Day when Raven was growing up? “We would do daddy/daughter trips. We’d go to Disneyland, concerts or a play. We’d do whatever cool thing was going on at the time.”
Has she gotten you any memorable Father’s Day gifts that stand out? “Last Father’s Day, she got me some custom-made stuff for my new business. We’re all about entrepreneurship around here. I’m launching a financial literacy business. One of Raven’s best friends makes merch, so she got me some merch with my logo for my business. She had a letterman jacket made and all that kind of stuff. It was super-cool.”
What makes you the most proud about the person Raven is today? “Her heart and what kind of friend she is. She’ll give you the shoes off her feet. She’s still the same sweet person. You wouldn’t know she was on TV because nothing about her — her attitude or anything like that — has changed.”
What personality traits did she inherit from you? “None. That’s probably good. She’s definitely way more sensitive and way more forgiving. Personality trait-wise, I don’t see anything. I’m introverted. She’s an extrovert. She’s forgiving. I’m unforgiving. She’s probably 90 percent her mom.”
How would you describe your relationship with Raven as a child and now? “[When she was a kid] I was immature, so we were kind of like brother and sister. We kind of grew up and saw a lot of things together. It made me a man. Now we’re like each other’s confidant. We can talk about mostly anything — relationships, father/daughter relationships, personal relationships, business ideas…. We see each other all the time, about once a month.”
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