When a woman thinks about being swept off her feet and marrying the man of her dreams, the last thing on her mind is divorce. But I can personally say that if my first marriage doesn't go as planned and I am led to find love again, I hope that my happily ever after looks a lot like Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet, a duo who has mastered the art of co-parenting and done it with grace.
In snippets released from Lenny's new memoir,Let Love Rule the star details exactly how his love affair with Lisa began, which according to him wasn't by coincidence––it was destiny.
Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
The former couple, who first met backstage at a New Edition concert, said that their chemistry was instant and although the now 56-year-old singer was engaged, it wasn't long before Lenny gave in to his "obsession" with his childhood crush. Lenny explained that after calling off his engagement to his former fiancee, he and Lisa found themselves in a late night recording session where they could no longer ignore their feelings for one another:
"In a moment, everything changed. We started kissing … That night I moved into Lisa's bedroom. Destiny had led us here. With every passing hour, our love blossomed. Premonition turned to prophecy. Prophecy turned to ecstasy."
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
As passionate as Lisa and Lenny's love story may have been, it was short-lived and after seven years of marriage and one child together, the marriage ended in divorce in 1993. Despite the couple's inability to sustain their romantic relationship, Lenny says that there is no love lost and has even developed a life-long friendship with Lisa's husband, Jason Momoa, who even gifted Lenny a matching skull ring last year. He told USA Today:
"Yeah. For me, if you have a situation where you break up, that love does not vanish. You can't kill that energy, but the love will transform. So if I'm not loving you like this, I'll be loving you like that. We had a child (Zoë, in 1988), and we knew this was the only way."
"Letting love rule was always our example and the way we had to live. We're the best of friends and we're one big family: her new husband (actor Jason Momoa), her children, Zoë and myself. It's all love."
Lenny and Lisa prove that breakups don't have to be bitter and co-parenting can be lit AF when you're doing it right.
To read Lenny's full interview, click here!
Featured image by Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
- Jason Momoa receives birthday wish from wife Lisa Bonet's ex ... ›
- Lisa Bonet trends after ex-husband Lenny Kravitz celebrates her ›
- Lenny Kravitz on His Ex-Wife, Lisa Bonet: “We're One Big Happy ... ›
- Lenny Kravitz Wishes Jason Momoa Happy Birthday on Instagram ›
- Lenny Kravitz on Ex-Wife Lisa Bonet: "We're One Big Happy Family ... ›
- Lenny Kravitz Wishes Jason Momoa Happy Birthday In Touching ... ›
- Lenny Kravitz on Ex-Wife Lisa Bonet: "We're One Big Happy Family ... ›
- Jason Momoa receives birthday wish from wife Lisa Bonet's ex ... ›
- Lenny Kravitz on Ex Lisa Bonet: We're One Big Happy Family - Video ›
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
