Raven Symoné Said Being a Child Star Gave Her ‘Mental Issues’
Raven-Symoné is an actress, singer, and television host who is best known to generations of pop culture fans as the star of the hit Disney Channel series That’s So Raven. After rising to fame as a child star, Raven-Symoné was able to transition into a career as a dramatic actress and singer. In recent years, the performer has earned a whole new audience as a host of various pop culture programs and podcasts, opening up about her experience with child stardom and the way that it affected her mental health.
How did Raven-Symoné become famous?
Raven-Symoné was born in Georgia in 1985. Raised in a family with a younger brother, she started in the entertainment industry when she was only two years old, appearing in print and television advertisements.
When she was only three years old, Raven-Symoné was cast in The Cosby Show, after impressing showrunner Bill Cosby with her wit and maturity. She appeared on the series until it went off the air in 1992.
After a series of roles in movies and television projects, Raven-Symoné was cast in the Disney Channel series That’s So Raven, playing the title character. She acted in the hit series from 2003 until 2007, during which time she became a major star, with her image appearing on everything from handbags to clothing items.
During the time that the series was on the air, Raven-Symoné also pursued a musical career, working on several soundtracks, including That’s So Raven and That’s So Raven Too!
What is Raven-Symoné doing these days?
After That’s So Raven went off the air in 2007, Raven-Symoné continued to work hard in the entertainment industry. Primarily, she focused her efforts on television, appearing in shows like Empire and Black-ish.
In 2017, she appeared in a spinoff of That’s So Raven, titled Raven’s Home. The series brought her back into the spotlight and introduced a new generation of fans to the character that she had created so many years prior.
Raven-Symoné has also appeared on a number of television shows as a host and pop culture commentator and has been very open about causes that matter to her. In June 2020, she married social media manager Miranda Maday, taking to social media to share the happy news with her fans.
Raven-Symoné opened up about being a child star and the effect it had on her mental health
As popular as Raven-Symoné is now, and with as much success that she has experienced, the actress has had some issues after rising to fame so early in life.
In 2017, she opened up to People, admitting: “I wish I was living now as a younger person. I probably wouldn’t have so many mental issues.” She revealed that she was body-shamed for many years, with some people in the industry forcing her to watch her weight when she was just a young child: “It was definitely hard. I remember not being able to have the bagel or anything at – we would call it crafty, where it’s just a table of food, ready for you to eat whatever you want. And I remember people would be like, ‘You can’t eat that. You’re getting fat!’ I’m like, ‘I’m 7! I’m hungry!’ “
These days, the actress is doing better than ever, staying in the spotlight — but always doing it on her own terms and staying true to herself.
