“The Cosby Show” clearly holds a special place in TV history, revolutionizing the sitcom genre and captivating audiences with its portrayal of the Huxtable family. But did you know that our beloved Whitney Houston was almost part of the iconic show’s cast? That’s right, ‘Ms. I’m Every Woman’ was this close to playing the role of a “Huxtable” child. However, she ultimately turned down the opportunity.

In an interview with “Cosby Show” director, Jay Sandrich, it was revealed that Houston was on the verge of snagging the role of “Sondra Huxtable,” and Whitney supposedly signed a contract for it initially. However, during a meeting with the cast, Jay said Whitney confessed that she couldn’t commit to the show because she wanted to pursue a career as a singer at that time. She expressed her desire to tour and couldn’t see herself being a part of every episode. Jay also vividly recalled Whitney saying, “Well, I want to be a singer. I can’t be in every show. I have to be able to tour.”

Jay said he tried to convince Whitney that being on a successful TV show would likely help boost her singing career at that time, but she still refused. It was a difficult decision for Houston, but she knew deep down that her heart belonged to music. “Whitney Houston,” he said. “She knew.”

As fate would have it, the role of Sondra Huxtable ultimately went to Sabrina Le Beauf, who brilliantly portrayed the “Sondra Huxtable” character from 1984 to 1992. During this same period, Houston’s music career reached its peak, with Grammy-winning success and widespread recognition. Soon afterward, Whitney felt solid enough within her career to venture into acting in various films.

In a 1993 interview with Rolling Stone, Houston admitted her initial apprehension about making the jump to acting. She feared that people would criticize her before giving her a fair chance as an actor. And although Whitney may not have been the greatest actress of all time, she was still able to shut down her critics with her performances in “Waiting To Exhale,” “The Bodyguard,” and more.

Even though Whitney didn’t become a “Cosby” kid, her decision to prioritize her passion for music led her to become an unforgettable music icon. The world will always remember her powerful voice, captivating stage presence, and the enduring impact she made as an artist. Whitney Houston, that’s why WE will always love you queen!

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Remember “Sondra,” the eldest child of ‘Cliff and Claire Huxtable’? She was the more serious child out the Cosby pack, but her husband, “Elvin,” wasn’t necessarily the sharpest tool in the shed. Well, “Sondra” was played by actress, Sabrina Le Beauf, and after years of flying under the radar, we’ve finally found out what Sabrina’s been up to all this time.

She Just Turned 62!

On March 21, 2020, Sabrina Le Beauf celebrated her 62nd orbit around the sun and the New Orleans, La. native is still just as beautiful as ever.

Here’s one thing that most people didn’t know back in the day: Although Phylicia Rashad played Sabrina’s mother on the show, there’s only a 10 year age difference between them. Rashad is 72 years young. Ain’t that something?

“Sondra’s” Current Career Is Way Different From Acting

Shortly after the “Cosby Show” ended in 1992, Sabrina decided to follow her other life’s passion, interior design. She soon entered into an interior design program at UCLA and her interior design business has been on and poppin’ ever since. She was almost instantly able to garner up business from well-off clients, with budgets of hundreds of thousand of dollars and up.

In a prior interview with People Magazine, Sabrina admitted that interior design is just as fulfilling to her as acting:

Via People- “Whatever part of the brain and the heart that acting feeds in me, design does the same thing,” [Sabrina Le Beauf] says. “You walk into an empty home and little by little you put it together and it comes to life, just the way you build a character. Once it’s there and people really like it, it’s the same as the applause you get as an actor.”

Even though Sabrina Le Beauf is still enjoying her interior design business, she hasn’t completely closed the curtain on acting. Throughout the years, he’s repeatedly performed in theatrical stage plays put on by the Shakespeare Theatre Company of Washington, D.C..

She Beat Whitney Houston For The Role

Unbeknownst to many devoted “Cosby Show” fans, the late Whitney Houston was initially supposed to get the role of “Sondra.” However, Sabrina Le Beauf ultimately landed the part. In hindsight, that was a good move because we may not have ever truly gotten to witness the full potential of the R&B/pop icon, had she committed to the show for so long.

Angela Basset Was Her Classmate

Who knew legendary actress, Angela Bassett, and Sabrina Le Beauf had history? Turns out, they were college classmates and Sabrina revealed that she didn’t feel like she fit in in Hollywood, until attending those same courses Angela attended:

Via People: African-Americans who look like me didn’t really exist in the casting pool,” [Le Beauf] says. But at Yale, where Angela Bassett was a classmate, “they made us feel like we could do anything,” she says.

She Married Her Now Ex-Husband In 6 Weeks

As far as we know, Sabrina Le Beauf is single today, but at one time, she was married to Michael Reynolds, a then successful Washington, D.C. radio show producer. They married in just 6 seeks after meeting each other, when she was booked on his show for an interview in 1987. Unfortunately, they divorced in 1996:

“We sort of agreed we were very different people,” says Le Beauf, who believes she headed to the altar too soon. The divorce, she says, left her “very disappointed in myself.” -via People

Living The Vegan Life

One of the reasons Sabrina’s lookin’ so good at 62 is partly because she’s a vegan. She confirmed this fun fact recently, and sticks to a healthy, clean eating diet.

Sabrina also says she’s grateful to have been a part of the “Cosby Show” because it helped bring positive images of Black people to the mainstream. So far, she has not commented on her former TV dad, Bill Cosby’s, sexual assault conviction.

The post “Sondra” From The Cosby Show Turned 62 This Year & She Loves Her Very Normal Day Job appeared first on I Love Old School Music.