She portrayed Denise Huxtable[3] 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.
She has sporadically worked in TV acting, appearing in roles such as Maya Daniels in Life on Mars (2008–2009) and Marisol on Ray Donovan (2016).
“My biggest worry in high school was who was going to take me to the prom, since I didn’t have a date," she told the Los Angeles Times.
[11] Bonet graduated Birmingham High School and later studied acting at the Celluloid Actor's Studio in North Hollywood.
The same year, Bonet, then 19, played 17-year-old Epiphany Proudfoot in the movie Angel Heart opposite Mickey Rourke.
[11] In 1986, Bonet earned a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
[21] In September 1992, Bonet hosted Why Bother Voting?, an election special focusing on young voters' concerns and apathy.
[24][25] She again played a romantic lead opposite Jason Momoa on the Sundance TV series The Red Road.
On November 16, 1987, her 20th birthday, Bonet eloped with American rock singer Lenny Kravitz in Las Vegas.
[41] The court granted them joint custody of their children, who, at the time, included: 16-year-old daughter Lola and 15-year-old son Nakoa-Wolf.