Lisa Bonet

Lilakoi Moon (born Lisa Michelle Bonet ; November 16, 1967) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying 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 thriller film Enemy of the State (1998) and the comedy-drama film High Fidelity (2000). She has sporadically worked in television acting, appearing in roles such as Maya Daniels in Life on Mars (2008–2009) and Marisol on Ray Donovan (2016).

Early life Lisa Michelle Bonet was born on November 16, 1967, in San Francisco, California, to Arlene Joyce Litman, an Ashkenazi Jewish-American schoolteacher, 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's parents separated when Bonet was still a baby. Bonet was raised by her single mother in middle-class Reseda and never knew her father. Bonet said she never fit in at Birmingham High School, in Van Nuys, California. "I was stuck in the middle," she told The Los Angeles Times. "The black kids called me an Oreo. The white kids didn’t talk to me."

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 Cliff and Clair Huxtable (played by Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad, respectively). Later in the show, she becomes the stepmother to Olivia Kendall (played by Raven-Symoné). From 1987 to 1988, she portrayed the role of Denise in the first season of the spinoff series A Different World.

In 1987, Bonet 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. She was featured topless in Interview magazine.

Bonet didn't appreciate the way the press covered her or the controversy at the time. "I think the whole scandal is ridiculous," she said. "They (the news media) are trying to steam it up." 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".

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. She did not have another film role until 2014's Road to Paloma, opposite her future husband Jason Momoa. She did, however, appear in a number of television series, including the American adaptation of the British television series Life on Mars. She again played a romantic lead opposite Jason Momoa on the Sundance TV series The Red Road. “I felt protected and I feel safe when I work with him," Bonet said of working with Momoa.

Personal life On November 16, 1987, her 20th birthday, Bonet eloped with American rock singer Lenny Kravitz in Las Vegas. Bonet recalled of their relationship: Bonet gave birth to their daughter, actress Zoë Isabella Kravitz, on December 1, 1988. She and Kravitz divorced in 1993. That same year, she legally changed her name to Lilakoi Moon, although she still uses the name Lisa Bonet professionally.

Since meeting on the set of A Different World in its first season in 1987, Bonet has been close friends with actress Marisa Tomei, who is a godmother to two of Bonet's youngest children and Cree Summer who is godmother to eldest daughter Zoe Kravitz.

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. A Los Angeles county judge declared them divorced on July 9, 2024. Neither Bonet nor Momoa asked for financial support, and they agreed on how to split their assets.

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 2014 Road to Paloma Magdalena

Television + Lisa Bonet television credits Year Title Role Notes 1983 St. Elsewhere Carla Episode: "Entrapment" 1984–1991 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 1987–1989 A Different World Denise Huxtable Main cast (Season 1); Guest (Season 3) 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 2008–2009 Life on Mars Maya Daniels 5 episodes 2013–2014 Drunk History Mary Ellen Pleasant / Rosa Parks 2 episodes 2014–2015 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 1986 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series The Cosby Show 1988Young Artist Awards Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series The Cosby Show Best Young Female Superstar in Motion Picture Angel Heart 1988 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress Angel Heart 1986 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series The Cosby Show 1989 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special The Cosby Show 2001 Black Reel Awards Theatrical – Best Supporting Actress High Fidelity 2006 TV Land Award Favorite Singing Siblings The Cosby Show