Image Source: Everett Collection
Can you think about if “That’s So Raven” starred anybody else as its lead apart from Raven-Symoné? We cannot, however in line with collection star Anneliese van der Pol, Disney Channel initially gave her former child-actor costar a supporting position of their present due to what she claims was racism from the community.
During an look on fellow Disney Channel star Christy Carlson Romano’s “Vulnerable” podcast, van der Pol mentioned that when the community was casting for her household sitcom (initially referred to as “Absolutely Psychic”), Raven-Symoné wasn’t the unique lead, “she was the sidekick.” At the time, the “That’s So Raven” alum mentioned Disney Channel was nonetheless in search of its essential star, a job she auditioned for herself.
As it seems, Disney Channel crammed that position with one other actor, with Raven-Symoné nonetheless on board because the “sidekick,” however van der Pol famous, “When they filmed, they realized Raven was the funniest one and had a following, and they also bumped her as much as first place.”
Van der Pol went on to say that she believed Disney Channel’s casting selections at the moment have been “like racism on a low degree, if that is even a chance.” She additionally claimed that the community initially “could not see a Black woman main the present” — which has since turn into a popular culture phenomenon largely due to Raven-Symoné. Reps for Disney Channel and Raven-Symoné didn’t instantly reply to POPSUGAR’s request for touch upon van der Pol’s claims.
This is not the primary time a “That’s So Raven” star has revealed Disney Channel’s unique casting plans for the present. Raven-Symoné herself talked about it on “The View” in 2015 when she mentioned she starred within the then-titled present “Absolutely Psychic” as “the very best buddy and never the psychic.”
See the remainder of van der Pol’s eye-opening interview forward.