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Lisa Bonet
Born
Lisa Michelle Bonet

(1967-11-16) November 16, 1967 (age 57)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Other names Lilakoi Moon
Occupation Actress
Years active 1983–present
Known for Denise Huxtable in The Cosby Show
Spouse(s)
(m. 1987; div. 1993)
(m. 2017; div. 2024)
Children 3, including Zoë Kravitz
Relatives Kadhja Bonet (half-sister)

Lilakoi Moon (born Lisa Michelle Bonet; November 16, 1967), known professionally as Lisa Bonet (/bˈn/), is an American actress. She portrayed Denise Huxtable on the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992), for which she earned widespread acclaim and a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1986; she reprised the role of Denise in the first season of the spinoff series A Different World.

She also appeared in the psychological horror film Angel Heart (1987), which earned her a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. Bonet has starred in the action thriller film Enemy of the State (1998), the comedy-drama film High Fidelity (2000), the action drama film Biker Boyz (2003) and the thriller film Road to Paloma (2013). She has sporadically worked in TV acting, appearing in roles such as Maya Daniels in Life on Mars (2008–2009) and Marisol on Ray Donovan (2016).

From 1987 to 1993, Bonet was married to singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz, with whom she had one child, Zoë, who is also an actress. In 2017, she married actor Jason Momoa, with whom she has two children. Bonet and Momoa separated in January 2022. Bonet reportedly filed for divorce on January 5, 2024.

Early life

Lisa Michelle Bonet was born on November 16, 1967, in San Francisco, California, to Arlene Joyce Litman, a schoolteacher of Jewish descent, and Allen Bonet, an opera singer of African-American heritage from Texas. She has five half-sisters, including singer Kadhja Bonet, and two half-brothers by her father's marriage to Deborah Church. Bonet graduated from Birmingham High School, in Van Nuys, California and later studied acting at the Celluloid Actor's Studio in North Hollywood.

Career

After being in beauty competitions and appearing in guest spots on television series as a child, Bonet landed the role of Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show, the second-oldest child of the parents played by Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad. In 1987, she briefly left The Cosby Show to star in the spin-off series A Different World, which focused on Denise's life at college. That year, Bonet, then 19, played 17-year-old Epiphany Proudfoot in the movie Angel Heart opposite Mickey Rourke. In the film, several seconds of an explicit scene she shared with Rourke (filmed when she was 18) were edited to avoid an X rating. For Angel Heart, Bonet earned a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. .....

In 1986, Bonet earned a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. After announcing her pregnancy during the run of A Different World, Bonet left the series. She returned to The Cosby Show the following year, but was fired in April 1991 because of "creative differences". After The Cosby Show, Bonet appeared in direct-to-video releases and made-for-television movies. In September 1992, Bonet hosted Why Bother Voting?, an election special focusing on young voters' concerns and apathy. She had supporting roles in the 1998 film Enemy of the State and the 2000 film High Fidelity. In 2003 she played Queenie in Biker Boyz, which reunited her with her A Different World co-star Kadeem Hardison.

Bonet co-starred in the film Whitepaddy in 2005. While she did not have another film role until 2014's Road to Paloma, she did make a number of appearances in episodes of television dramas and comedies, starting in 2008 in the American adaptation of the British television series Life on Mars. She had a recurring role in the 2014–15 series The Red Road, starring her partner and future husband Jason Momoa.

Personal life

On November 16, 1987, her 20th birthday, Bonet eloped with American rock singer Lenny Kravitz in Las Vegas. Bonet gave birth to their daughter Zoë Isabella Kravitz on December 1, 1988. She and Kravitz divorced in 1993.

In 1993, she legally changed her name to Lilakoi Moon, although she still uses the name Lisa Bonet professionally.

In 2005, Bonet began a relationship with actor Jason Momoa. They married in October 2017. Bonet and Momoa have two children: a daughter born in July 2007, and a son born in December 2008. In January 2022, Momoa and Bonet announced their separation. On January 8, 2024, Bonet filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. In her divorce filing, Bonet revealed that she and Momoa had actually separated on October 7, 2020. Court documents which were obtained by People confirmed that the divorce was granted one day later.

Filmography

Film

Lisa Bonet film credits
Years Title Role
1987 Angel Heart Epiphany Proudfoot
1993 Bank Robber Priscilla
1994 Final Combination Catherine Briggs
1998 Enemy of the State Rachel Banks
2000 High Fidelity Marie De Salle
2003 Biker Boyz Queenie
2005 Whitepaddy Mae Evans
2013 Road to Paloma Magdalena

Television

Lisa Bonet television credits
Year Title Role Notes
1983 St. Elsewhere Carla Episode: "Entrapment"
1984–91 The Cosby Show Denise Huxtable Main cast
1985 Tales from the Darkside Justine Episode: "The Satanic Piano"
ABC Afterschool Special Carrie 1 episode
1986 Sesame Street Herself Recurring Guest
1987–89 A Different World Denise Huxtable Main cast: season 1; Guest: season 3, 1 episode
1990 The Earth Day Special Denise Huxtable
1992 Why Bother Voting? Herself Elections special with Bonet as host
1994 New Eden Lily Television movie
2002 Lathe of Heaven Heather Lelache Television movie
2008–09 Life on Mars Maya Daniels 5 episodes
2013–14 ... History Mary Ellen Pleasant and Rosa Parks 2 episodes
2014–15 The Red Road Sky Van Der Veen 7 episodes
2014 New Girl Brenda Brown Episode: "Teachers"
2016 Girls Tandice Moncrief Episodes: "Homeward Bound", "Love Stories"
Ray Donovan Marisol Recurring – Season 4

Music videos

Lisa Bonet music video credits
Year Song Artist Role
1990 "It Never Rains (In Southern California)" Tony! Toni! Toné! Director
1991 "Stand by My Woman" Lenny Kravitz Director
1999 "Revelation Sunshine" Cree Summer Director
2019 "Freedom (TROY NōKA Remix)" Dorothy, Angel Haze Director

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by Lisa Bonet
Year Award Category Work Result
1985 Young Artist Awards Best Young Supporting Actress in a Television Comedy Series The Cosby Show Nominated
1986 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series The Cosby Show Nominated
1988 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series The Cosby Show Nominated
Best Young Female Superstar in Motion Picture Angel Heart Won
1988 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress Angel Heart Nominated
1986 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series The Cosby Show Nominated
1989 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special The Cosby Show (shared with cast) Nominated
2001 Black Reel Awards Theatrical – Best Supporting Actress High Fidelity Nominated
2006 TV Land Award Favorite Singing Siblings The Cosby Show (shared with cast) Nominated

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lisa Bonet para niños

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