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 TV show The Cosby Show. She also provided the voice for Norma Bindlebeep in the animated series Fatherhood.

Early Life and Education

Sabrina Le Beauf was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 21, 1958. Her family moved to Los Angeles, California, when she was very young. This was to leave behind the strict rules of segregation in Louisiana at that time.

Growing Up in Los Angeles

After her parents divorced, Sabrina lived with her grandmother in south central Los Angeles. When she was 10, she moved back with her mother and stepfather in Inglewood, California.

Sabrina was interested in 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

After high school, Sabrina went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She studied theater there. She noticed that there weren't many acting roles for African American students. So, she helped start a theater group for black students to create their own shows.

In 1980, she began studying at the Yale School of Drama. She earned her master's degree in acting from Yale.

Acting Career Highlights

In 1984, Sabrina Le Beauf tried out for the role of Sondra Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Sondra was the oldest daughter in the Huxtable family. Even though Sabrina was 26, which was only 10 years younger than the actress playing her TV mom, she got the part.

Playing Sondra Huxtable

Sabrina played Sondra Huxtable for all eight seasons of The Cosby Show, from 1984 to 1992. Sondra was a popular character. She was shown as a graduate of Princeton University who later got married and started her own family. In 1988, 50 million viewers watched an episode where Sondra gave birth to twins. The twins were named Winnie and Nelson, after Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela.

Other TV Shows and Theater Work

While working on The Cosby Show, Sabrina also appeared in other TV series. These included Hotel and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On Star Trek, she played Ensign Giusti for two episodes. She also appeared on The Sinbad Show.

Sabrina also continued to act in plays. She performed in a production of Shakespeare's As You Like It.

Recent Work

Today, Sabrina Le Beauf often performs with the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. She recently played Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew. She also appeared in the play “LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE” which ran off-Broadway 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, D.C. They got married less than a month later and lived in New York. They were married for over ten years before getting divorced in 1997.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

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