In the early 2000s, Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman played a confident, boy-crazy, fashion designer wannabe with a little bit of psychic added for good measure when she took on the role of Raven Baxter in Disney's That's So Raven.
Since then, the IRL Raven told Oprah Winfrey how she liked both boys and girls since being young and she then went on to marry her wife, Miranda Pearman-Maday.
In a bid to reflect what she had been through, when it came to the 2017 spin-off series, Raven's Home, Disney bosses asked whether they should make the character gay.
Now, the 35-year-old has revealed why she told producers she didn't think it was wise to change the character's sexuality, saying that there was 'no reason' to 'fit the actress that played her'.
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Speaking on the Pride podcast, she explained why she came to the decision she did: "There was a conversation before the series started.
"And I was asked the question, 'Would you like Raven Baxter to be a lesbian?' And I said, 'No'.
"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.
"There was no reason for me to change the human that she was in order to fit the actress that played her."
She went on to add: "Raven Baxter is a character that I was proud to play. Even if she is straight, cisgender, I don't mind, let her have her moment.
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"I didn't want to change who she was. When you really start blending your personal self with your character self, it's even harder.
"Like, I'm stereotyped for the rest of my life. Let's just keep it 100. You know what I mean? If you ever see me in another character, you see Raven Baxter, and that's just what the deal is.
"I think the one thing that differentiates me from her is now a lot more."
You can listen to the full Pride podcast interview here.
Featured Image Credit: Disney ChannelTopics: Entertainment, TV and Film