Raven-Symoné opens up about the pressures of childhood fame during her time on Disney’s That’s So Raven, revealing a pivotal moment when she was asked if she wanted to “stop being straight.” In a candid conversation with Demi Lovato for the documentary Child Star, the 38-year-old actress recalled the internal struggles that accompanied her rise to stardom.
“There was a moment in my life where I was asked if I wanted to stop being straight. It was like the second season of That’s So Raven,” she shared. “I was like, ‘Why would you ask me that question now? Just to make me feel bad for saying yes, when you know I don’t really want to be here right now?’”
Symoné, who publicly came out in 2013 and married Miranda Pearman-Maday in 2020, discussed the burden of maintaining a public image while navigating the demanding schedules imposed by Disney. Both she and Lovato expressed feelings of having to conceal their true selves while enduring grueling workloads.
“I didn’t know you could take time off because no one told me,” Lovato admitted. “At one point, I played 70 shows in 90 days. They needed those two days of rehearsals for the movie.”
Symoné added, “People are going to milk all of that light out of you because, ‘You’re young and you still have energy.’ But you do not. You’re still human.”
The documentary also touches on Symoné’s early understanding of her career as a business. “I knew it was work immediately. My parents made sure I understood that this was a job. I get paid for it. You show up professionally,” she explained, noting that she was aware of her earnings from the age of three.
When Lovato inquired about the financial dynamics within her family, Symoné described it as a “family business,” where each member had a role, avoiding labels of who the primary breadwinner was.
Reflecting on her significant role in television history, especially as part of the cast of The Cosby Show, Symoné acknowledged the impact of being a young Black actress during a pivotal time. “The Cosby Show was the number-one television show in America, especially with an African American cast… A young girl from Atlanta, Georgia … that’s the dream of so many Black people at that time,” she said.
Ultimately, she noted the emotional toll that performing can take on young artists: “Children, young kids, are performing for their parents’ love and affection and their ‘Good job!’ And yes, it’s a lot of money. Money does crazy things.”