Raven-Symoné and Kiely Williams Address ‘Cheetah Girls’ Beef on IG Live
Written by SOURCE on April 11, 2020
As we enter week 245 of self-isolation, many of us are finding interesting and productive ways to pass the time. Some have taken the opportunity to learn a new skill, focus on a new project, or squash a beef with their former Disney co-stars. Raven-Symone and Kiely Williams recently participated in at least one of these.
On Thursday, The Cheetah Girls stars took to Instagram Live to address the drama that has been lingering for more than a decade. The stream went down just weeks after Williams addressed the reports she had threatened to out Raven as a lesbian while the Cheetah Girls were at their peak. Raven, who came out as gay in 2016, made sure to squash that rumor during the Instagram Live broadcast; however, she emphasized that Williams could be “messy.”
“I’ve put myself in places with people that are all kinds of different ways, and you just have to appreciate it for what it is,” Raven said. “Because of you, I get to talk to you and heal a wound from that time period when we were younger that I probably wouldn’t get to do if I didn’t understand that, you know what, you like to shake shit up.”
Williams also addressed her recent comments about co-star Adrienne Bailon Houghton, whom she accused of “pretending to be my best friend.” Raven encouraged Williams to reach out to Houghton and try to bury the hatchet. But Williams didn’t seem open to that idea.
“No, she didn’t come to my dad’s funeral or call me when he died. I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be messy. I’m being for real with you, no,” she responded. “I’m sorry, I love you. I swear to God, nope. Come on. You can say what you want about me and how you felt about me, but you can’t ever say that I didn’t ride for Adrienne. You can’t say that. I didn’t do anything!”
She continued: “It’s like, you were either lying then or you’re lying now. You either were my best friend, and now you’re just not claiming me, or, you were pretending to be my best friend and now you’re telling the truth. So, that’s why I don’t think that’s gonna happen.”
At one point during the conversation, Williams questioned Raven why she refused to appear in The Cheetah Girls 2008 sequel after years of working together. Raven explained she just no longer felt accepted.
“The cliquish way that there was during that movie made me feel excluded from my original team,” Raven explained. “Not that it was strong to begin with, but I felt excluded… we have other things that just led up to that moment that just were weird, personal outside of business.”
Williams apologized and insisted she never intended to hurt Raven.
“Well, I appreciate that, sweetheart,” Raven responded. “And I release any pain towards you that I have, and I cancel, clear and delete it.”
