Sabrina Le Beauf facts for kids

Sabrina Marie Le Beauf (born March 21, 1958) is an American actress. She is best known for playing the character Sondra Huxtable on the popular TV show The Cosby Show. She also lent her voice to the character Norma Bindlebeep in the animated series Fatherhood.

Early Life and Education

Sabrina Le Beauf was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 21, 1958. When she was very young, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. This move helped them leave behind the strict rules of segregation that were common in Louisiana during the 1950s.

Growing Up in Los Angeles

After her parents divorced, Sabrina lived with her grandmother for a while. When she was 10, she moved back with her mother and stepfather in Inglewood, California. Sabrina loved acting from a young age. She performed in many school plays, even playing Cinderella in elementary school. She was also a leader, serving as high school class president.

College and Acting School

Sabrina attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for her college degree in theater. She noticed there weren't many acting roles for African American students. So, she helped start a theater group for black students. This group allowed them to create and perform their own shows.

After UCLA, Sabrina went to the Yale School of Drama. There, she earned her master's degree in acting. This advanced training helped her become an even better performer.

Acting Career Highlights

In 1984, Sabrina Le Beauf tried out for the role of Sondra, the oldest daughter, on The Cosby Show. Even though she was 26, which was only 10 years younger than the actress playing her TV mom, she got the part. Another famous singer, Whitney Houston, also auditioned for the role. However, Whitney wanted to focus on her singing career. This led to Sabrina getting the role.

Playing Sondra Huxtable

Sabrina played Sondra Huxtable for all eight seasons of The Cosby Show. The show ran from 1984 until 1992. Sondra was a popular character. She was shown as a smart Princeton graduate who got married and started her own family. In 1988, a huge number of viewers, about 50 million, watched Sondra give birth to twins. The twins were named Winnie and Nelson, honoring Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela.

Other TV and Theater Roles

While on The Cosby Show, Sabrina also appeared in other TV series like Hotel. She also had small roles as Ensign Giusti on two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. She also appeared on the comedy show The Sinbad Show.

Sabrina continued to work in theater as well. She played Rosalind in a play called As You Like It, written by William Shakespeare. Today, she often performs as a main actress with the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. She recently played Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew with the company. She also performed in an off-Broadway play called “Love, Loss and What I Wore” from 2009 to 2012.

Personal Life

Sabrina Le Beauf met businessman and producer Michael Reynolds in 1987. They met while she was performing in Washington. They got married less than a month later and lived in New York. They were married for over ten years. In 1997, they decided to divorce. Sabrina said it was a "mutual decision," meaning they both agreed.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

• Young Artist Awards 1989: Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special The Cosby Show