Raven-Symoné is one of the fortunate few child stars whose careers didn’t disappear with their innocence when they made the transition to adulthood, and now she’s opening up about how that longevity has impacted her.
The 34-year-old actress, musician, and star of “Raven’s Home” has maintained a career in Hollywood for the majority of her life, appearing in a slew of classic movies and television shows, including “The Cosby Show,” “Little Rascals,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” not to mention spending her teen years cranking out hits as a Disney Channel star.
Although she’s remained consistently in the public eye since starting her career at the tender age of 16 months, Symoné finally is beginning to feel comfortable enough in her skin to let her fans have a peek into her private life, including revealing that the entertainment industry isn’t just a career for her, it’s part of who she is.
“That you can’t strip me of the industry,” she told HNHH when asked about what she’d like the public to know about her as a person. “I started out in it when I was 16 months old before I had a choice. So, if you strip me of the industry … that’s a deep strip. It’s not like I started when I was 15. I didn’t start when I was 12. I got out of the womb, said hi, and then they put me on television.”
She went on to explain that because she’s been acting since about as long as she’s been walking, her involvement in the industry contributed to shaping who she is at her core.
“Know that everything that comes from my mouth is because I was raised in the industry that you supported me in. This is what I saw. These are the people I came in contact with. These are the lessons that I’ve learned. This is the business that I’ve known. Good, bad, weird, fumbles of words. That’s just who I am and I can’t apologize for it because I started when I was 16-months old.”
For anyone who may wonder what made the “Black-ish” actress feel ready to begin letting people see who she really is, she said that it really all comes down to growth. “I’m connecting with myself in a different stage of my life. I don’t know if anybody else goes through this, but I have to come to terms with who I am.”
