22 Facts About Denise Huxtable

Denise Huxtable Kendall is a fictional character who appears on the American sitcom The Cosby Show, portrayed by actress Lisa Bonet.

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.

Denise Huxtable did not fare as well on A Different World; critics found Bonet uninteresting and often blamed her performance for the show's unimpressive early reviews.

The second eldest of their five children, Denise Huxtable is a younger sister of Sondra and an elder sister to Theo, Vanessa and Rudy.

Finally, Denise Huxtable relocates to Asia to live with Martin, where he is stationed for the remainder of the series, while Olivia remains in Brooklyn with her parents.

However, Cosby 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.

Early storylines included Denise Huxtable 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.

Several episodes revolving around Denise Huxtable explore her boyfriends and dating life.

Denise Huxtable is portrayed by American actress Lisa Bonet, whose professional acting experience prior to The Cosby Show had been limited to television commercials for Barbie and McDonald's, and a guest appearance on the medical drama St Elsewhere.

Cosby in particular was strongly opposed to the idea of a Huxtable child experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and becoming an unwed mother, concluding, "Lisa Bonet is pregnant not Denise" and rejecting Allen's proposal.

Denise Huxtable was downgraded from a main to recurring character for the remainder of the season.

Denise Huxtable's character is mentioned and used sparingly throughout the episode.

Unseen, Denise Huxtable calls her family on the telephone from Singapore to announce that she is pregnant with her and Martin's first child, and everyone receives an opportunity to congratulate her except Cliff.

Denise Huxtable is credited as a main cast member from seasons one to three and six to seven, and a recurring cast member during seasons four and five.

Denise Huxtable 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".

Denise Huxtable typically wears oversized smocks, harem pants, jumpsuits, large blazers and head wraps with vibrant patterns, as well as denim and vintage tops.

However, Racked's Nadra Nittle argued that Denise Huxtable remains rather "straight-laced" despite her artsy, unconventional wardrobe consisting of high-waisted trousers and tropical shirts.

Denise Huxtable realized that there are things that you have to do for yourself, without your parents' help, and she did just that.

Denise Huxtable quickly established herself as an audience favorite during the show's earliest seasons, which Mental Floss contributor Kara Kovalchik attributes to her "typical teenage carefree attitude and her cutting-edge fashion sense".

Denise Huxtable ultimately became the show's most popular character, and her unique fashion sense became a trademark of the series.

Some media headlines, such as USA Today "X has Cosby kid's film on spot", gave readers the impression that "all 77 million weekly watchers are outraged by the behavior of their little Denise Huxtable", according to Trustman Senger of The Washington Post.

Denise Huxtable was not very interesting, and we were asked to make her into Mary Tyler Moore or Tinkerbell, always bringing everyone together.