Raven-Symoné is opening up about how she views Bill Cosby’s legacy today — and says she makes a clear divide between the cultural impact of The Cosby Show and the serious abuse allegations against its star.
Cosby first faced public allegations of sexual assault in 2004, when Andrea Constand filed a civil suit. Constand accused Cosby of drugging and assaulting her.
While the case drew some media attention, it didn’t spark widespread discussion until 2014, when Barbara Bowman — who had testified in support of Constand — wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post titled, “Bill Cosby raped me. Why did it take 30 years for people to believe my story?”
In the months that followed, dozens more women came forward with their own allegations. Legal proceedings resumed in 2016, when a Pennsylvania court ordered Cosby to stand trial.
The first trial in 2017 ended in a mistrial, but a retrial in 2018 resulted in a conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent assault. Cosby was sentenced to three to ten years in prison.
Then, in 2021, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania overturned the conviction because of a prior agreement made by a former prosecutor, which stated Cosby would not be criminally charged if he provided a deposition in Constand’s civil case.
It is against this backdrop that Raven-Symoné — who played Olivia Kendall on The Cosby Show from 1989 to 1992 — recently spoke on the Hate to Break It to Ya podcast about how she reconciles her experience with Cosby and the legacy of the show.
“Separate the creator from the creation,” she said. “And that’s just where I live. The creation changed America. Changed television.”
She continued by acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations: “He’s also been accused of some horrific things. That does not excuse, but that’s his personal [life]. So personally, keep that there, and then business-wise, know what he did there as well. Like you said, both can live.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, help is available. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit RAINN.org for confidential support.