Why Lisa Bonet Disappeared From Hollywood
She might not have been on the coolest television show. But back in the late 1980s, "The Cosby Show" star Lisa Bonet was still undoubtedly television's coolest girl. The actor picked up an Emmy nomination, landed her own spinoff, and had every fashion magazine drooling over her style thanks to her role as Denise Huxtable in the now-tainted family sitcom.
And although she had a stop-start career in the early '90s — her time on "A Different World" was cut short when she fell pregnant with daughter Zoe Kravitz, while she was fired from "The Cosby Show" over 'creative differences' — Bonet still managed to bounce back with several supporting roles on the big screen and recurring parts on the small.
However, things have been a little quiet on the Bonet front as of late. From marriage breakdowns to self-explorations, here's a look at why the once-ubiquitous star appears to have gone AWOL.
Lisa Bonet has been learning to be her authentic self
In 2022, Lisa Bonet gave a rare interview, rather aptly to Interview, the same magazine she famously posed topless in during her "The Cosby Show" years. And this was no ordinary interview, either. The actor agreed to grill and be grilled by her longtime friend and former "A Different World" co-star Marisa Tomei. And the camaraderie they share allowed both parties to open up about their daily lives.
When asked what she'd been drawn to lately, Bonet gave a rather philosophical answer: "Definitely learning how to be authentically me, learning to be new, and following this invitation from the universe to step into this river of uncertainty. We've eliminated all this extra noise, and now it's time to grow our roots deeper into our own values."
"I think that's a lot of what we're shaking off, because it's what we've been indoctrinated in, it's how our culture defines worth," she continued. "Our worth is based on how much is scheduled on your calendar." Of course, in the wake of Bonet's split from Jason Momoa, some people believed that the "river of uncertainty" was a reference to the problems in her marriage.
Lisa Bonet didn't want to say too much about the Bill Cosby situation
In 2018, Bill Cosby was sent to prison after being found guilty of aggravated indecent assault, while also facing allegations from dozens of other women about similar offenses. Having spent her late teenage years on his number one sitcom, "The Cosby Show," Lisa Bonet was inevitably asked about her thoughts on the comedian's shocking descent.
Bonet, who played Denise Huxtable in the long-running comedy, told Net-a-Porter that same year that she'd always sensed there was a much darker side to her on-screen dad: "There was no knowledge on my part about his specific actions, but ... There was just energy. And that type of sinister, shadow energy cannot be concealed ... And if I had anything more to reveal then it would have happened a long time ago. That's my nature. The truth will set you free."
Cosby famously clashed with Bonet when she decided to pose for Interview magazine topless at the height of "The Cosby Show" mania. He was also just as disapproving when she bared some flesh for a sex scene in "Angel Heart" with Mickey Rourke. Bonet added, "I don't need to say, 'I told you so.' I just leave all that to karma and justice and what will be."
She says that good roles are hard to come by
At the turn of the century, it looked as though Lisa Bonet was about to become the major star her spell in "The Cosby Show" always promised. She played Rachel Banks in the Will Smith conspiracy thriller "Enemy of the State" and impressed as one of John Cusack's many love interests in the adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel "High Fidelity" (the TV adaptation of which saw her daughter Zoe Kravitz take center stage).
But apart from a supporting role as Queenie in 2003's action drama "Biker Boyz," Bonet didn't grace the big screen for the rest of the '00s. And she only appeared in one other theatrically-released movie, 2014's "Road to Paloma" alongside husband Jason Momoa, over the following decade, too. So what happened to her movie star aspirations?
Well, in her 2018 interview with Net-a-Porter, Bonet explained that her limited filmography is all down to a lack of choice: "I always had one foot in and one foot out of the business, so that's part of it. But also, it's slim pickings out there! There aren't endless opportunities for women of color, you've probably noticed."
Acting is no longer her passion
Even if the challenging roles that Lisa Bonet says she's found hard to come by throughout her career suddenly did fall on her lap, there's no longer a guarantee that she would take them. The "High Fidelity" star has recently admitted that being a thespian isn't her preferred job. Just don't ask her what it is.
Speaking with Net-a-Porter, Bonet said, "Acting is how I've forged my way, but I don't think it's my passion." But when asked about what does interest her, the artist formerly known as Denise Huxtable didn't appear to have a concrete answer.
Bonet said, "Maybe directing. I write also. I have ideas. There's a movie, a children's TV show, and a documentary short. I feel that I have the soul of an artist, but I don't know yet which medium." It seems as though she's still pondering her next move, though, as more than five years have gone and there hasn't been any sign of a movie, children's TV show, or documentary short.
Lisa Bonet has been overshadowed on the red carpet
Lisa Bonet hasn't been entirely absent from the red carpet scene in recent years. In fact, she's graced numerous film premieres and award ceremonies. But it's fair to say that on these occasions, most of the focus has been on her A-lister date.
In 2019, "The Cosby Show" star and her husband of two years, Jason Momoa, chose to wear his and hers pink Fendi while attending a tribute to the late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. But the sight of a 6-foot-4-inch man sporting such a bright color garnered most of the attention.
It was a similar story when the pair attended the 2020 Golden Globes. In this instance, Momoa grabbed the headlines for showing off his bulging muscles in a tank top, having taken off his emerald velvet tuxedo to warm up a cold Bonet. Although they couldn't have known it, the seemingly happy couple graced the red carpet for the final time together when they rocked up at Hollywood's Tom Ford AW20 Show.
She made an appearance in a Super Bowl ad
In 2020, just like her early days in "The Cosby Show," Lisa Bonet was beamed into the homes of millions of Americans thanks to her appearance in a Super Bowl ad. But whereas you couldn't help but notice her as stylish teen Denise Huxtable, you may well have missed her entirely during her rare venture into TV commercials.
Bonet signed up to promote Rocket Mortgage, a company you wouldn't necessarily associate with such a glamorous, cooler-than-cool celebrity. But she was only required to shout words of encouragement to her real-life other half, Jason Momoa, as he tried to press the kind of barbell he could usually lift with his little finger.
The amusing promo saw the "Aquaman" star completely subvert his muscleman persona by pretending that his rippling six-pack and bulging biceps were simply props he could peel off after a hard day at work. "What does home mean to me?" Momoa asks to tie in with the company's purpose. "It's my sanctuary. It's the one place where I can let my guard down. It's where I can just kick back and be totally comfortable in my own skin."
Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa divorce
Walking down the aisle together appeared to jinx Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa's long-term relationship. The pair had been boyfriend and girlfriend for more than a decade before tying the knot in 2017. But just three years after exchanging vows, the glamorous couple announced they were heading for the divorce courts.
With Bonet being one of those rare celebrities without any social media accounts, it was left up to her "Aquaman"-starring other half to break the news. A since-deleted joint statement shared on Momoa's Instagram account read (via People), "We have all felt the squeeze and changes of these transformational times ... A revolution is unfolding and our family is of no exception ... feeling and growing from the seismic shifts occurring. And so we share our family news that we are parting ways in marriage."
The pair were keen to point out that the split was an amicable one, adding, "The love between us carries on, evolving in ways it wishes to be known and lived. We free each other to be who we are learning to become ... Our devotion unwavering to this sacred life our children. Teaching our children what's possible. Living the Prayer. May Love Prevail." There must have been something in the water that year as Bonet's daughter Zoe Kravitz and her husband Karl Glusman also announced they were parting ways.
Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet are still friends
Lisa Bonet has largely managed to stay out of the tabloids since her 2020 split with Jason Momoa. And that's perhaps due to the fact that there really doesn't appear to be any drama between the pair. Indeed, the two actors proved that there was substance to their claims of divorcing amicably when, two years later, they spent the festive season together.
Momoa was pictured delivering a Christmas tree to Bonet's Malibu home in his truck, with an anonymous insider telling People that this isn't the first time that the "Justice League" star has helped around his ex-wife's house. The month previously, he'd also posted an array of red heart emojis on an Instagram post Bonet's first husband, Lenny Kravitz, uploaded to wish her a happy birthday.
Rumors have continued to persist that Momoa and Bonet are reuniting as a couple ever since they announced their separation. But while speaking to Access Hollywood on the Academy Awards red carpet, the former confirmed, "We're not back together, we're family."
She's been staying active
Lisa Bonet is one of those Hollywood stars who doesn't seem to look much different in their 50s from how they did in their 20s. And no doubt that her strenuous and time-consuming exercise routine has played its part in her youthful appearance.
In a 2016 interview with The New York Times, the "Angel Heart" star revealed that she's become particularly enamored with one type of physical activity: "I take an African dance class that I live for. I just walked in one day, and I have been doing it pretty regularly for seven years now. I also do Pilates twice a week, yoga once a week, and I go to the gym twice a week."
In fact, it turns out that Bonet is such a natural sportswoman that she could have possibly competed in the Olympics if the lure of showbiz hadn't come calling: "I was a gymnast when I was very young. I ran track and field and cross-country when I was in school. I probably would have been an athlete if I hadn't become an artist."
She isn't interested in modern life
Another reason why Lisa Bonet appears to have disappeared off the face of the earth in recent years is her complete lack of social media presence. Indeed, "The Cosby Show" star has remained immune to Instagram, TikTok, and just about every other digital platform throughout her latter-day career. And that's not the only way in which the actor has shunned modern life.
In her 2018 chat with Net-a-Porter, Bonet revealed that her family home doesn't have a TV and boasts only one shared computer. And you're unlikely to ever see her engrossed in her phone with the two young kids she shares with Jason Momoa, either. It's an Earth mother approach that appears to have rubbed off on her son, in particular.
Bonet explained, "One of my proudest moments as a mom was when someone asked Nakoa-Wolf, 'Well, what is life for?' and he said, without missing a beat, 'To protect Mother Earth, of course. But God also wants to play with Mother Earth.' I just thought: 'my work is done!'"
Lisa Bonet directed another music video
Lisa Bonet added to her list of music video director credits in 2019 when she helmed the promo for the Troy NōKA Remix of "Freedom" by Angel Haze and Dorothy. The "A Different World" star had previously worked behind the camera on Tony! Toni! Toné!'s "It Never Rains" and her then-husband Lenny Kravitz's "Let Love Rule." But in an interview with Free The Work, she claimed that her most recent directorial effort was her most rewarding.
Bonet said, "This was the first of anything I had done that was primarily dreamed, organized, and made possible by mostly women, so this colored everything. The ease of collaboration, kind communication (and still getting s*** done), belief in the vision, and seizing the opportunity to work together on a project that was in alignment with our values."
When asked about the challenges she faced coordinating the nightclub-themed video, a presumably hungry Bonet compared it to cooking a Thanksgiving dinner: "You have to stay in the moment and tackle each demand as it comes. The grand scheme can overwhelm. And then, one must have amazing partners, sidekicks, sous chefs, as the support is totally necessary ... I had the pleasure of working with many of my best friends, all of whom excelled in delivering their expertise. The result for us was like sharing a beautiful feast."