The Cosby Show alum Raven-Symoné says she has chosen to separate in her own mind the sexual assault and harassment allegations against Bill Cosby from his positive impact on her acting career and the TV industry as a whole.
“He has been accused of some horrific things,” Symoné told the Hate to Break It to Ya podcast on Nov. 3.
“And that does not excuse, but that’s his personal [life]. So personally, keep that there, and business-wise, know what he did there as well. Like you said, both can live, and I think our culture is right to, you know, don’t do wrong. Don’t do wrong personally. You just can’t do wrong,” she added.
During the podcast appearance, Symoné discussed being raised in the TV spotlight with a breakout role on The Cosby Show as a child actor. She played the role of Olivia Kendall on the popular TV sitcom from 1989 to 1992.
“Separate the creator from the creation. And that’s just where I live,” Symoné argued as she also paid tribute to Cosby for his contributions to Black actors looking to get into TV roles. “Now it’s like mandated, but back then, especially on a Black show, it was very important to see yourself, not just in front, but behind the camera as well. And Mr. Cosby instilled that in all of us, and I took it to Disney and anywhere I went afterwards,” she added.
Despite a sexual assault conviction, Cosby was freed in June 2021 after serving two years of a three- to 10-year prison sentence for a 2018 sexual assault conviction after the court ruled a “non-prosecution agreement” the actor struck with a previous prosecutor should have prevented him from being charged in a case that stemmed from a 2004 encounter with accuser Andrea Constand.
Cosby was arrested in the Constand case on Dec. 30, 2015, just days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired and went on trial in the criminal case in 2017.
