[37] According to Soraya Nadia McDonald of The Undefeated, "Girls modeled on Denise are smart, but their intellect isn’t necessarily reflected in their grades. [26] Several episodes revolving around Denise explore her boyfriends and dating life. Moreover, she dated Bryan Kest, but the relationship didn’t go well so they broke up. [46] In addition to a diverse group of friends,[47] Denise would also meet and be influenced by new friends and teachers "with different perspectives on life", allowing the character to "grow in profound and interesting ways.

[10] However, Cosby also wanted the show to feature a character who was an example of parents Cliff and Clair having already successfully raised a college-educated child, hence the writers introduced eldest sibling Sondra, a Princeton University graduate, in the second episode, while Denise was relegated to the role of the Huxtable's second eldest child instead. [113] Victor Valle of the Los Angeles Times wondered if the sex scene would harm Bonet's "wholesome TV image" on both The Cosby Show and the then-upcoming A Different World. [49] Allen was reportedly upset with Cosby over his decision but understood that "he just wanted her back", and Denise's pregnancy would alter Cosby's creative vision for both series. [12] Linda Hobbs of Vibe wrote that A Different World's "success only grew after Bonet left". [118] In a retrospective review of the series, Funny or Die dubbed Denise "your Tumblr crush", writing, "She was wild.

[30] Author Cherise Luter wrote, "While well suited for the '80s, the mix of boho punk would mesh perfectly with any current street style blog or indie magazine, which is a testament to Lemire's talent as a designer. Similarly, she won Best Young Female Superstar in Motion Pictures for Angel Heart (1987). [22][90] Developing a reputation as "a stylish dresser",[28] the character frequently makes bold fashion statements, particularly via her vast assortment of hats and accessories, and variety of hair styles. [14] Since Cosby did not intend to add an infant character to the series, the show concealed Bonet's pregnancy using loose-fitting clothing, large coats, sofas and grocery bags. [71][72] Her character is, however, mentioned and used sparingly throughout the episode. "[69][70], Bonet developed a reputation for being difficult to work with on The Cosby Show. [22] Once Bonet was cast, the writers began to incorporate some aspects of her personality into her character,[28] although her own fashion sense and behavior is viewed as more "outlandish" than Denise's. She landed her first role as Carla in an episode of th… In 1993 ‘Bank Robber’ directed and written by Nick Mead saw her in the starring role of Priscilla.

"[127] Critics and audiences found that the character was constantly being upstaged by Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy).

"[23] When the film was released, an overwhelming number of The Cosby Show fans asked Bonet to reveal what Cosby thought of her performance. "[5] Originally, Denise was intended to be the eldest of the Huxtable family's four children. [22] Early storylines included Denise fighting with younger sister Vanessa over the latter borrowing her sweater without permission, getting her braces removed, announcing her decision to attend college away from home, promising younger brother Theo that she is capable of sewing him a replica of an expensive designer shirt he had purchased, and tricking her parents into believing she had spent a night at a male friend's house to prove a point about their parenting style. [84] Denise's sense of fashion endures during her enrollment at Hillman. [49] Allen suggested that Bonet's pregnancy be written into the series,[50][51] explaining that it "would be a great thing. [135], Denise remains Bonet's best-known role. She realized that there are things that you have to do for yourself, without your parents' help, and she did just that. "[124], As one of the decade's most popular actresses,[12][115] A Different World initially attempted to capitalize on Bonet's fame by featuring Denise prominently. Lisa Bonet dated Damian Marley, but the relationship didn’t go well so they broke up. In 2003 she played Queenie in Biker Boyz, which reunited her with her A Different World co-star Kadeem Hardison.[17]. [5] Cosby himself is the father of five children, four daughters and one son, much like his character Cliff. [89] Denise's style has been described as bohemian and boho-chic.

[21] Being of mixed ethnicity, her character's upbringing "as a teen-ager in a well-adjusted, upper-middle-class black family" is remarkably different from how Bonet herself grew up, which took some time for the actress to adjust to; she never knew her father and was raised by her mother in a lower-middle-class, mostly white neighborhood. Created by comedian Bill Cosby, Denise was originally conceived as the Huxtable's eldest child until older sister Sondra was introduced in the show's second episode to establish that her parents had already successfully raised a college-educated daughter. "[27], (shared with Tempestt Bledsoe, Sabrina Le Beauf, Keshia Knight Pulliam, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, "Lisa Bonet Marries Musician Lenny 'Romeo' Kravitz, Son of 'The Jeffersons' TV Star", "Lisa Bonet | Biography and Filmography | 1967", "Lisa Bonet on family, husband Jason Momoa & working with Bill Cosby", "Zoe Kravitz Reveals How She Learned To Love Her Mixed Background". "[98], College Fashion cited the character's interest in experimenting with geometric patterns, bright colors and a variety of textures. On talking about her body measurements, Lisa Bonet has a height of 5 feet 2 inches. She had supporting roles in the 1998 film Enemy of the State and the 2000 film High Fidelity.

"[120] Writing for the same publication, Kevin O'Keefe ranked Denise lower at number five because he often struggled to "understand her motivations", finding it implausible that a free-spirited woman like Denise would be interested in "a straight-edge [man] like Martin". [23] According to Cosby: His Life and Times author Mark Whitaker, Cosby enjoyed "the naturalness of [Bonet's] delivery", which he found refreshing in comparison to the "stagey quality" most child actors who auditioned for the role tended to rely upon, in addition to her "exotic beauty", which he likened to that of singer Lena Horne. After announcing her pregnancy during the run of A Different World, Bonet left the series. The second-born child of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, Denise is known for her eccentric clothing and free-spirited, rebellious nature, earning her a reputation as the Huxtable family's wild child. [12] In the film, several seconds of an explicit scene she shared with Rourke (filmed when she was 18) were edited to ensure an R rating. Then, she joined Reseda High School. [26], In a 1990 interview on The Phil Donahue Show, Bonet said that vaccines could potentially "introduce alien microorganisms into our children’s blood" that could cause "cancer, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, [and] Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. "[98] Brit + Co writer Rachel Aschenbrand-Robinson believes that the character's choice of clothing gave viewers the impression "that she actually gave no f**ks what anyone thought of her look. Boys wanted to be with her. [28] Bonet confirmed that she sought Cosby's advice when she was first offered the role because "he's a generous enough man to see beyond The Cosby Show and to see my career as what it is and what it could be". While there, she meets and marries Lt. Martin Kendall, becoming stepmother to his daughter Olivia. ", "The best 80s style icons to inspire your own retrospective (yet very modern!) Alternating between regular and recurring character, Denise appears on the sitcom on-and-off throughout its eight-year run, from its pilot "Theo's Economic Lesson" to the seventh season episode "Cliff and Jake", for a total of 98 episodes, after which Bonet departed for the remainder of the series. [22], Denise was Bonet's first major television role.

[147], Sherri Williams of The Washington Post described both Denise and Bonet as "an it-girl of the 1980s whose unique style and independence endeared audiences. [100] On the spin-off, Denise often gravitates towards menswear, high-waisted pants,[101] and vintage clothing. "[22] Each Huxtable child "represents a different aspect on life. denise huxtable's husband on cosby: it's "strictly business" from here on out. "[30] Jamie Broadnax of Black Girl Nerds identified Denise as a hipster, writing that the character was "a hipster before the word hipster was even a thing" due to her unconventional clothing choices and tendency to avoid imitating others,[89] as well as her own method of doing things that she incorporates into the way she dresses. [18][19] She had a recurring role in the 2014–15 series The Red Road, starring her partner and future husband Jason Momoa. ", "17 TV Moms We Would Totally Borrow Clothes From", "#TBT: The Enduring Influence of Lisa Bonet", "Denise Huxtable-Inspired Ensembles for the Bohemian Chic", "The 50 Most Stylish TV Characters Of All Time: A Ranked Guide", "6 Movie and TV Characters That Are Back-to-School Style Icons", "Meet The 9 Best Dressed TV Characters Of All Time", "The Best Beauty Looks From Your Fave '90s Characters", "15 Female TV Characters That Have Incredible Hair, Ranked", "Lisa Bonet's Best Style Moments Before Leaving 'It's A Different World, "On TV: 'The Cosby Show' tackled race and class in the 1980s", "Sinister hands and full nests: 14 types of family dysfunction", "Lisa Bonet and the Hypocrisy of Bill Cosby", "Jason Momoa Knew He Loved Lisa Bonet When He Was Just 8-Years-Old", "Jason Momoa on His Directorial Debut and What Khal Drogo Would Have Done to the Mountain", "Then & Now: '80s sexiest pinups, heartthrobs and crushes we still can't get enough of", "Why We're Still Obsessed With This '90s Style Icon", "An Ode To Lisa Bonet As Denise Huxtable, In Words + Photos", "Lisa Bonet's Style Evolution: Badass Boho Chic Since The '80s", "Unnecessary Tribute: 13 Ways The Cosby Show is Even Better Now Than It Was Back Then", "Celebrating 30 Years of 'The Cosby Show' by Debating Four Key 'Cosby' Questions", "I Re-Watched 'The Cosby Show' And It Was Brutal", "Emmys 2014: From Anna Nicole Smith's breasts to Lassie, the 10 oddest nominations of all time", "I Went To A Black College Because Of "A Different World, "Picks and Pans Review: A Different World", "Television: Reruns; Did 'Cosby' Do Better in College? [120] The episode is often positively reviewed as one of the character's best; Zeba Blay, senior culture writer for HuffPost, called the moment Theo screams "Denise!"

"[85] Denise eventually became known as "the wild child"[48] of the Huxtable family as a result of her rebellious nature,[86] outspokenness,[87][88] eccentric clothing and tendency to date boys her father does not approve of. "[133] Bustle's Rikki Byrd wrote, "Although it was sad to see her go, the little bit of time she was on offered up enough style inspiration to last a decade. "[31] Bonet often selected her character's outfits herself with little input from the wardrobe department. [10] Denise ultimately became the show's most popular character,[5][78][41] and her unique fashion sense became a trademark of the series. I think that she is doing magnificently well for someone [at her age] doing and making decisions on her own, and she is deeply loved in my heart". [104], Denise has been identified as a "drifter". Revered as a fashion icon, the character's eclectic style has had a profound impact on modern fashion trends; media publications frequently rank Denise among television's best-dressed characters. In addition, she has a measurement of 32-23-31 inches respectively. [82] She maintains that her memories of her experience on the show have not been influenced by the allegations, insisting, "No, it’s exactly as I remember it".