Marisa Tomei Cringes at Her 'Unforgivable' Haircut in A Different World: 'It Was Not My Fault!'

The actress opened up about her time on 'The Cosby Show' spin-off as well as her friendship with former costar Lisa Bonet

Marisa Tomei looks back on 80s haircut
Marisa Tomei cringes at her haircut from "A Different World". Photo:

NBCU Photo Bank, Michael Loccisano/Getty

Marisa Tomei had a blast on the set of A Different World, but her hair didn’t. 

Back in October, the Oscar-winning actress, 59, took to Instagram with a throwback photo of her and her old castmates, Jasmine Guy, Lisa Bonet, Dawnn Lewis and Kadeem Hardison, on an old promo cover.

So, when Tomei appeared on Thursday’s episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, the sitcom — and the recognizable hair she wore on it — naturally came up in conversation

“It seems like another planet. It was a highlight, for sure. I really, really enjoyed it,” Tomei, who appeared on one season of The Cosby Show spin-off, told hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Willie Geist. “I had a really good time on that.”

She quickly added that she loved everything about her experience, but the “unforgivable haircut” she was forced to wear as Maggie Lauton, who’s standout feature was her untamed auburn wavy shag and bangs. 

“It was not my fault! I just was like, a babe in the woods and they were like, ‘We’re going to do this to you’ And I was like, ‘Okay…’” Tomei remembered.

She couldn't even look at a clip of herself with the ‘80s hairdo. “Please, please, it’s just a…” she said before jokingly hiding her face with her hand. 

A DIFFERENT WORLD -- Season 1 -- Pictured: (clockwise from top left) Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Cleophus Wayne, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson Taylor, Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten, Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable -
(Clockwise from top to bottom) Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei from a "A Different World".

NBCU Photo Bank 

On a more positive note, Tomei fondly looked back on her relationship with Bonet, with whom she is still friends.

“We’re very close and during that time too, she had a house in Venice and I moved in with her and we shot the show. We were roommates at the same time,” she remembered of their dynamic. “It was really, really fun.”

With her latest role in Upgraded alongside Camila Mendes, Tomei has no need to worry when it comes to her on-set wardrobe. In the Prime Video movie, Tomei plays Claire Dupont, the highly successful and intimidating director of an established art gallery who certainly dresses the part with her sophisticated ensembles. 

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