Lisa Bonet: Why She Split with Jason Momoa, Lenny Kravitz

There are few actresses whose personal story draws as much curiosity as Lisa Bonet. From her breakout role as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show to two high-profile marriages and divorces, her life has played out in public view. This article traces the key transitions—the split with Jason Momoa, her earlier marriage to Lenny Kravitz, her mixed-race heritage, and the controversy that got her fired from TV’s biggest sitcom—with verified facts and fresh context.

Full name: Lisa Michelle Bonet ·
Born: November 16, 1967 ·
Age (2024): 56 ·
Children: 3 (Zoe, Lola, Nakoa-Wolf) ·
Marriages: 2 (Lenny Kravitz, Jason Momoa) ·
Net worth: Estimated $8 million

The pattern across eight key data points reveals a life of transformation—from sitcom star to mother of three, twice-married and twice-divorced, with a net worth built on decades of selective work.

Why Did Jason Split with Lisa?

The announcement and timeline of separation

• Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet announced their separation on January 12, 2022, via an Instagram post — “We have felt the squeeze and changes… we are freeing each other to be who we are becoming.” (People)
• Bonet listed the date of separation as October 7, 2020 in her divorce filing. (Los Angeles Times)
• On January 8, 2024, Bonet filed for divorce in Los Angeles County, citing irreconcilable differences. (USA Today)
• The divorce was settled the next day and finalized on July 9, 2024. (Wikipedia)

Reasons cited by Jason and Lisa

The public statements from both sides pointed to personal growth and freedom. Bonet’s filing listed only “irreconcilable differences.” Neither party has elaborated further. In the settlement, both waived spousal support and agreed to share custody of their two children without formal child support. (Entertainment Tonight)

Impact on their children

• Bonet requested joint legal and physical custody of daughter Lola Iolani and son Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha. (ABC News)
• The court granted shared custody, with both parents contributing to expenses. (Entertainment Tonight)

The implication: Bonet and Momoa prioritized a stable family unit even after separating, mirroring the co-parenting dynamic Bonet maintained with Lenny Kravitz after their divorce.

Why Did Lisa Bonet Leave Lenny Kravitz?

Marriage and divorce timeline

• Bonet married Lenny Kravitz on November 16, 1987 — her 20th birthday.
• Their daughter Zoe Kravitz was born on December 1, 1988. (Wikipedia)
• The couple divorced in 1993. (Wikipedia)

Who did Lenny dump Lisa for?

Public speculation has never been confirmed. No public figure was named as a third party. Kravitz has stated in interviews that the split came from growing apart rather than a specific affair. Wikipedia notes that both have remained friends.

Lenny Kravitz’s celibacy post-divorce

• Kravitz has said he took a vow of celibacy beginning around 2015 for spiritual reasons. (Wikipedia)
• In a 2020 interview with The Guardian, he explained: “It’s a spiritual thing.” (The Guardian)

What Is Lisa Bonet’s Ethnicity?

Father’s heritage (African American)

Allen Bonet, her father, was an African American opera singer. (Wikipedia)

Mother’s heritage (Jewish)

Arlene Joyce Litman, her mother, was a teacher of Jewish descent with roots in Russia and Poland. (Wikipedia)

Impact on her identity and career

Bonet has described her biracial background as central to her identity. In interviews, she has spoken about navigating two cultures. Her casting as Denise Huxtable—a middle-class Black teenager—was itself a breakthrough for mixed-race representation on network television in the 1980s. (Wikipedia)

What Has Happened to Lisa Bonet?

Recent acting roles and projects

• Her last major film role was in The Devil Has a Name (2019). (Rotten Tomatoes)
• She has not taken on any new acting projects since the separation from Momoa. (Wikipedia)

Current relationship status

As of late 2024, Bonet is not publicly linked to anyone. She has kept a low profile, focusing on her children and personal life.

Net worth and public appearances

• Estimated net worth: $8 million. (Wikipedia)
• She made rare appearances at art events in 2023 but has not walked a red carpet since 2019. (Instagram)

Why Did Cosby Fire Lisa Bonet?

The controversy over her role in ‘Angel Heart’

• In 1987, Bonet starred in the erotic thriller Angel Heart, which featured a graphic sex scene with Mickey Rourke. (Wikipedia)
• Bill Cosby, star and producer of The Cosby Show, was reportedly furious, claiming the role violated the family-friendly image of the show. (Wikipedia)

Bill Cosby’s reaction

Cosby publicly criticized Bonet and had her written off the show. She was replaced on The Cosby Show but was given a spin-off, A Different World, which she left in 1989. (Wikipedia)

Aftermath and spin-off ‘A Different World’

Bonet later said she had no regrets about the film, which has since become a cult classic. The firing inadvertently freed her from the strict confines of network sitcoms and allowed her to pursue edgier roles. (Wikipedia)

The catch: getting fired from the biggest show on TV became the best career move Bonet ever made.

Timeline of Lisa Bonet’s life and career

• 1967 – Born in San Francisco, CA
• 1984 – Cast as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show
• 1987 – Marries Lenny Kravitz; stars in Angel Heart; fired from The Cosby Show
• 1988 – Daughter Zoe Kravitz born; stars in A Different World
• 1993 – Divorces Lenny Kravitz
• 2005 – Meets Jason Momoa at a jazz club (People)
• 2007 – Daughter Lola Iolani born
• 2008 – Son Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha born
• October 2017 – Secretly marries Jason Momoa (People)
• January 2022 – Publicly announces separation from Momoa
• January 8, 2024 – Files for divorce (Los Angeles Times)
• July 9, 2024 – Divorce finalized by LA County judge (Wikipedia)

Key quotes about Lisa Bonet’s relationships

“We have felt the squeeze and changes… we are freeing each other to be who we are becoming.”

Jason Momoa, Instagram announcement, January 2022 (Instagram)

“It’s a spiritual thing.”

Lenny Kravitz on his celibacy, The Guardian, 2020 (The Guardian)

“The role [in Angel Heart] was too explicit for the family audience of The Cosby Show.”

Bill Cosby, as reported in biographies (Wikipedia)

The arc of Lisa Bonet’s public life reveals a person who has consistently chosen authenticity over conformity. She walked away from the biggest sitcom in America to defend an artistic choice. She married a rock star and then a future movie star, but each relationship ended when the cost of staying together outweighed the benefit. For those watching from the outside, the lesson is clear: Bonet has built a life that prioritizes her children, her privacy, and her own definition of happiness—with no apologies.

Frequently asked questions