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Topics: Disney, Film and TV, Sex and Relationships
Callum Jones
Topics: Disney, Film and TV, Sex and Relationships
In a recent interview, actor Raven-Symoné has revealed she turned down Disney's plan to make one of her characters gay.
Back in 2017, Disney revitalised the popular sitcom That's So Raven after the show ended in 2007 with four seasons under its belt.
The reboot, known as Raven's Home, sees Raven Baxter raise her children alongside her friend, Chelsea. But things take a turn as Raven's son starts showing physic abilities, much like his mother.
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Raven-Symoné as Raven Baxter and Anneliese van der Pol as Chelsea Daniels reprised their roles for the new show, but Disney wanted to mix it up.
Since the original show finished in 2007, Raven-Symoné came out as gay and has been married to her wife, Miranda Pearman-Maday, since 2020.
Speaking recently about Disney's ideas for Raven in an interview with Them, Raven-Symoné said: "I think Disney wanted her to be queer in the beginning and I just didn't feel comfortable doing that.
"They were like, 'Do you want Raven to be gay?' I said, 'Why?' [and they said,] 'Because you are.' I said, 'Bad, bad reason. That's a bad reason.'"
She continued: "No, Raven Baxter never exhibited any type of sexual identity situation in the priors. I'm not being myself on this show, I'm being a character. Raven Baxter's not gay.
"No matter what the first four seasons looked like, with me and Chelsea sleeping in the same room and us raising a family together. Okay, that's not the case. We are friends. Who sleep in the same room."
Raven-Symoné has spoken about her desire for Raven not to be gay before; doing so in an interview on the Pride podcast, where she appeared with her wife.
She said: "The reason I said no wasn't because I wasn't proud of who I was, or I didn't want to represent the LGBTQ+ community in any way.
"It was because Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter and there was no reason for me to change the human that she was in order to fit the actress that played her."
Away from the American sitcom, Raven-Symoné married Miranda Pearman-Maday in June 2020 in a surprise wedding.
Taking to Instagram at the time, The Cosby Show star said: "I got married to a woman who understands me from trigger to joy, from breakfast to midnight snack, from stage to home.
I love you Mrs. Pearman-Maday! Let’s tear this world a new a*****e!!! I’s married NOW."