Johnathan Walker:Raven-Symoné's Body Was CGI'd Thinner on That's So Raven, New Book Claims

That’s so not Raven.

Though Raven-Symone quickly became an icon for teenage girls while appearing as Raven Baxter on ésBodyWasCGIdThinner on ThatsSoRavenNewBook Johnathan Walkerthe Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven, new claims about the hit series reveal that the show wasn’t always exactly what meets the eye.

As with most teens, 18-year-old Raven’s weight would fluctuate. However, “Disney Channel was going crazy about it,” co-producer and writer for the series Dava Savel said in the new book Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire. “And they handled it in really bad ways. But it was never to her face.”

One alleged occurrence, according to multiple sources in the book, happened on season two of the show in an episode titled “That’s So Not Raven,” in which another model is chosen over Raven for a runway show due to her thinner frame. In the episode, Raven first tries a variety of crash diets before deciding she’s perfect as-is and walking in the show at the end in a message of body positivity.

According to the new book, “multiple people involved in the episode” shared with author and journalist Ashley Spencer that a network executive instructed the show’s visual effects team to manipulate footage to make Raven appear thinner in the show’s final scenes.

“It was shameful,” producer Michael Feldman said of the alleged alterations. “I don’t know how they could look at themselves and do that. The very thing that she wanted to do a story about was literally done to her. It’s still a shocking thing to me that they were that tone-deaf.”

Adam Bonnett, the former head of Disney Channel original programming, said the decision was “not something I would have asked for” but did remember the same postproduction technique being used in later episodes.

In particular, he said that during a school dance episode, “There was some stuff done to make Raven[‘s attire] look more flattering in certain scenes.”

E! News has reached out to Raven and Disney for comment and has not heard back.

Raven played the teen psychic for four seasons, with the series received two Emmy nominations throughout it’s run. She has also reprised her role in the spin-off series, Raven’s Home, which ran for six seasons and was canceled in 2023 ahead of season 7.

"To know that all the people still enjoy it to this day brings a genuine smile to my face," Raven told Vanity Fair in 2023. "All the hard work was worth it." 

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Explore the fascinating rise of Disney Channel from its humble beginnings to its powerhouse status with Disney High. This captivating book reveals the untold story behind the channel's evolution and its impact on the entertainment world.