# The Truth About Roxie Roker From The Jeffersons: Her Son CONFIRMED The Rumors!

Roxie Roker, born on August 28, 1929, in Miami, Florida, was an iconic American actress best known for her groundbreaking role as Helen Willis on the CBS sitcom *The Jeffersons*.

As half of one of the first interracial couples on prime-time TV in the 1970s, Roker shattered barriers with sass and heart, portraying a character that mirrored her own life. Beyond *The Jeffersons*, she left her mark on shows like *Roots*, *Fantasy Island*, *The Love Boat*, *Murder She Wrote*, *A Different World*, and *Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper*. Her career, filled with courage and perseverance, earned her an Obie Award and a Tony nomination, cementing her as a trailblazer for African-American actors.

Raised in Brooklyn, Roker nurtured her passion for acting at Howard University and honed her craft with the Negro Ensemble Company, a theater group known for pushing boundaries.

Her role as Helen Willis wasn’t just a job; it was a cultural milestone. When producers hesitated about her on-screen interracial kiss with co-star Franklin Cover, Roker famously showed a photo of her real-life husband, Sy Kravitz, a white man, proving she’d already “been there, done that.” Married in 1962, their union was as groundbreaking as her TV role, reflecting the same societal challenges she portrayed.

Roker’s personal life, however, was a storm of drama. Her 20-year marriage to Kravitz, a former Green Beret and NBC News producer, produced their son, Leonard “Lenny” Kravitz, born in 1964 and named after Sy’s brother who died in the Korean War. While their romance started as a charming meet-cute at NBC, where Roker worked an office job, it unraveled due to Sy’s serial infidelity.

Lenny, in his memoir *Let Love Rule*, revealed catching his father sweet-talking a mistress and hiding $50,000 from Roker, who was the primary breadwinner through her acting career.

Sy’s failed ventures left him financially dependent, adding insult to betrayal. Lenny, a self-proclaimed mama’s boy, flew to the Bahamas to inform Roker, only to learn she’d known of Sy’s cheating since day one, even confronting mistresses with baby Lenny in tow.

The final straw came when Sy’s actions became undeniable, leading Roker to file for divorce, finalized in 1985. In a heart-wrenching confrontation, Sy’s parting words to Lenny—“You’ll do it too”—left a lasting scar.

Sy’s neglect extended to two daughters from a previous marriage, whom he reportedly abandoned, ignoring Roker’s pleas to step up.

Despite the heartbreak, Roker thrived post-divorce, continuing her stellar career and dedicating herself to community service in Los Angeles, notably with child abuse prevention programs like I-CAN.

Tragically, she lost her battle with breast cancer in 1995 at age 66. Her legacy, however, endures through her pioneering roles and her son Lenny, who confirmed the painful rumors of his father’s betrayal, ensuring Roker’s story of resilience remains unforgettable.