Raven-Symoné Shares Shocking Reason Why She Wore Heels On 'That's So Raven'

Entertainer Raven-Symoné is shedding light on the shocking reason Disney Channel had her wearing heels during various projects with the children’s network.

The "That’s So Raven" and "Cheetah Girls" star has long been considered a major player for the network, helping to boost ratings through her eponymous series and going on to produce its spinoff, "Raven’s Home," starting in 2016.

Why Raven-Symoné Wore High Heels In Most Of Her Disney Channel Projects

While appearing on "The Unplanned Podcast" alongside her wife, Miranda Pearman-Maday, Symoné touched on multiple topics related to her Disney Channel run, including why she often was seen wearing only high heels.

According to the actress, it was done to make her appear “thinner” on-screen.

“There is an understanding that if you’re short and you wear heels, it thins you out,” Raven said, “because if you look taller, the proportions (of your body) work out.”

Per Buzzfeed, Symone noted that “conversations” often took place between her team and the network to keep up the visual rouse.

It even expanded to her character Galleria in "The Cheetah Girls" in 2003 and its 2006 sequel, being the only girl wearing heels through both movies.

Symoné’s Characters Were Made To Wear Heels Even When They Logically Didn’t Have To

@unplanned_podcast Childhood fame, starting a family, and failed proposal with @ravensymone & @miranda v. pm | Out NOW! #unplannedpodcast #unplannedpodcast @matt_and_abby ♬ original sound - The Unplanned Podcast

Most stunning of all during Symoné’s confession were the times she claimed to have worn heels, even when situations wouldn’t normally call for such a fashion choice.

“When you look at 'That’s So Raven,' every single outfit had heels,” she expressed.

“There would be times I would be wearing heels and pajamas just because it makes you look thinner,” she continued.

Now older, Symoné wishes her team wouldn’t have been so strict about her body but notes how different things were during her Disney Channel heyday.

“It was a different time,” she concluded. “Nobody was my size at that time.”

Sad’ Fans Of Raven-Symoné Speak On The Actress’s High Heel Reveal

As clips from Symoné’s podcast appearance began to make waves on social media, those who watched her Disney Channel programs expressed disappointment in how she was treated.

“I always thought it was because her character on "That’s So Raven" was into fashion,” one TikTok user noted.

Others reiterated their belief that Raven’s TV “fashionista” alter ego was the main reason behind the character wearing heels and expressed their heartbreak over the truth.

“I always thought it was just part of her character’s style,” another TikTok user shared. “This is so sad.”

Symoné Went Under The Knife Multiple Times As A Teenager To Fit A Certain Mold For Television

Symoné’s podcast comments come on the heels of another recent admission regarding her body as a teenager and being forced to alter it for public consumption.

In a December 2024 episode of "Tea Time with Raven & Miranda," the podcast she hosts with her wife, Symoné, alleged that multiple adults in her life pushed her to get breast reduction surgery at just 15 years old.

“I went from a triple D, all the way down to a B,” the actress shared, adding, “Someone said I needed to do it in order to get a show.”

While going under to make her breasts smaller, Symoné asked to have liposuction as well – a cause connected to the loud criticism she often faced for having a fuller figure.

“At the same time, I was like, ‘If you’re gonna take my boobs out, I want a lipo,’” she stated.

This would be the second of two breast reductions Symone underwent before she turned 18. Sadly, during the first go-round, she suffered a seizure.

"That first one I had, I actually had a seizure when I woke up from the surgery, and I remember waking up and seeing everything," Symoné shared during a 2023 podcast.

"Then I had this dry mouth and couldn't breathe, and they were like, 'Oh yeah, you had a seizure.' "

An Old Viral Clip Displays Other Ways Disney Failed To Look Out For One Of Its Brightest Stars

Symoné’s comments on Disney Channel’s overbearing nature on her body is why fans feel the network, meant to make her a star, treated her unfairly.

A now viral clip of Symoné’s 2010 appearance on BET’s "106 & Park" features the singer expressing frustration – albeit jokingly – about no one purchasing her music.

“Aren’t I always in the studio recording music that nobody buys,” she states when asked about potential projects.

Coincidentally, Symoné was signed at the time to Hollywood Records, Disney’s music subsidiary, alongside fellow Disney Channel acts Hilary Duff, Demi Lovato, and the Jonas Brothers. The three latter acts would garner multiple No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart.

However, Symoné failed to break the top 50 with 2004’s "This Is My Time," her first Hollywood Records project. Similarly, her 2006 self-titled follow-up, distributed through Hollywood Records, failed to chart altogether.