Zoë KravitzZoë Kravitz has opened up about a pivotal and, in hindsight, regretful decision she made as a young girl — choosing to live with her father, the legendary rockstar Lenny Kravitz, when she was just 11 years old.
In a candid reflection on her childhood, Zoë, now a celebrated actress known for her role in The Batman, shared her thoughts in her latest cover story for Esquire.
Zoë, 34, expressed a sense of remorse over leaving her mother, actress Lisa Bonet, behind after her parents' divorce.
She now wishes she had recognized and valued the life her mother tried to create for her, even if it came with a stricter parenting approach. "I think it was very hurtful that I moved away from her to be with my dad, and my dad wasn’t even there," Zoë told the publication, acknowledging the pain her decision must have caused her mother.
Reflecting on those years, Zoë said she didn't fully grasp what her mother was trying to protect her from. "I just wish I had been able to appreciate what she was doing for me. She was so focused on preserving my innocence. My creativity. Because she knew what the world is — that you don’t get that back," Zoë explained, highlighting the wisdom her mother tried to impart during those formative years.
Lisa, who rose to fame as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show, married Lenny in 1987, and the couple welcomed Zoë the following year. Their marriage, however, was short-lived, with the couple splitting in 1991 and finalizing their divorce two years later.
During the first decade of her life, Zoë lived with her mother, who provided a more structured and protective environment. But everything changed when, at 11 years old, Zoë decided to move across the country to live with her father in Miami — a man she had only seen a few times a year.
Moving in with Lenny was like stepping into an entirely different world. "His visits were this whirlwind of a completely different universe," Zoë recalled. One minute she was living a quiet, simple life with her mother, and the next, she found herself in the fast-paced, glamorous world of her father, where the rules were different, and the freedom was overwhelming.
However, Zoë soon realized that the freedom she initially cherished came at a cost. With her father often absent due to his music career, she was left to navigate this new world largely on her own, leading her to mature more quickly than most children her age. "It wasn’t that my dad didn’t care," she reflected. "He just cared about different things."
As the novelty of her new lifestyle wore off, Zoë began to see the reality behind the glamour. "Just like it happens in the movies, it’s like, ‘Oh, you think this is perfect? You think this is great? Guess what comes with this,’” she said, alluding to the challenges and complexities that accompanied her newfound freedom.
Feeling out of place in Miami and yearning for a sense of belonging, Zoë eventually asked her father to move to New York. It was there, in the bustling city, that she found her stride. "I wasn’t some genius actress. I felt safe," Zoë shared, indicating that the move to New York allowed her to feel more grounded and connected.