“The Cosby Show,” which premiered between 1984 and 1992, showed the dynamic of a healthy, successful African American family.
For eight years, millions of viewers learned from the teachings of a mother who practiced law and father who was a doctor. From dealing with teenagers with attitudes to balancing a healthy relationship, Cliff and Clair had their work cut out for them.
But the show’s youngsters also offered a lot of entertainment. Whether they were trying to impress friends or hide bad grades, the Huxtable children displayed the humorous experiences that most young people dealt with.
Aside from rendering laughs, the show also touched on important topics ranging from class and race to substance abuse and peer pressure. With such an array of topics discussed, the series became a staple in the Black community.
Since its ending in the early ‘90s, the cast has continued to break barriers in their careers. Read on to discover what everyone has been up to since their run on “The Cosby Show.”
1. Cliff (Bill Cosby)
Bill Cosby, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, made himself one of the world’s most popular actors and comedians.
In 1969, the actor starred in “The Bill Cosby Show.” In the series, he was a gym teacher in Los Angeles. Before he would act in “The Cosby Show” in the ‘80s, Cosby acted in “The Electric Company” and was the brains behind Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert.
Once “The Cosby Show” wrapped, the father and husband created “A Different World,” a show set on the campus of an HBCU. He also worked on different projects into the 2010s like “The Cosby Mysteries,” “Cosby,” “Little Bill,” A Very Cosby Thanksgiving, and more.
In 2015, the entertainer was charged with felony aggravated indecent assault stemming from a 2004 incident. He was found guilty after his 2018 trial and was sentenced to 3-10 years in prison. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 2021, and he was released from prison.
Cosby announced that he was interested in going on tour in 2022. While talking to Scott Spears on WGH Talk, he stated, “I feel that I will be able to perform and be the Bill Cosby that my audience knows me to be.”
2. Clair (Phylicia Rashad)
Phylicia Rashad has been a class act since her start in acting in the early 1970s.
After filming “The Cosby Show,” Rashad scored countless other gigs. From voice acting in “Little Bill” and “The Cleveland Show” to displaying Black experiences in A Raisin in the Sun and being a prominent addition to the Creed series, Rashad’s talent has stood out for decades.
The Houston native has also received director credits for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, The Roommate, and more.
In 2021, Rashad, a Howard University alumna, became the school’s Dean of the College of Fine Arts. In March 2024, she announced her retirement. Aside from being dean, Rashad has also conducted master classes at New York University, Carnegie Mellon, and other prestigious institutions.
The mother of two told WUSA9 that her next steps are unknown. “I don’t always know what’s next, and I like that because it’s what I don’t know that interests me most.”
3. Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe)
After being on “The Cosby Show,” Tempestt Bledsoe continued her acting career.
Per IMDb, Bledsoe has appeared in episodes of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “The Parkers,” “Guys with Kids,” and more. She has also lended her voice to cartoon projects like “The Replacements” and ParaNorman.
In 1995, Bledsoe got her own daytime talk show. “The Tempestt Bledsoe Show” focused on family and relationship issues. From 2010 to 2011, she helped out on “Clean House,” a series that provided home makeovers to families.
In 2019, she appeared in Netflix’s “Family Reunion.” In 2023, she was the executive producer for the Amazon Prime TV special, Make Me Scream.
4. Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam)
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Keshia Knight Pulliam began her acting career at around 5 years old.
After portraying the youngest Huxtable, Pulliam became known for working on Tyler Perry projects. In 2007, she got the role of Miranda on “House of Payne,” which came back to television in 2020. In 2009, she played a prominent part in Madea Goes to Jail.
In 2021, Pulliam married Brad James, who played her brother in Lifetime’s Pride & Prejudice: Atlanta. Together, they raise their children on a farm, planting nutritious food and raising animals.
Pulliam remains active in the industry by participating in panels, hosting workshops, and appearing on game and talk shows, according to her social media accounts.
5. Denise (Lisa Bonet)
Lisa Bonet began acting in commercials at age 11 before getting her role on “The Cosby Show” at 16. She then appeared in numerous roles in its spin-off, “A Different World.”
During the ‘90s and 2000s, Bonet scored major parts in the movies High Fidelity and Enemy of the State. Into the 2010s, the actress worked in the projects “Drunk History,” “The Red Road,” “Ray Donovan,” and others. She has also received credits for directing numerous music videos and shorts, IMDb reports.
Bonet has three children, Zoë Kravitz with singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz, and Lola and Nakoa-Wolf Momoa with actor Jason Momoa. Zoë Kravitz is also an actress and appeared in a lot of high-profile projects as well as in the TV series “High Fidelity,” a reboot of the drama her mother appeared in two decades prior.
6. Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner)
Malcolm-Jamal Warner is an Emmy-nominated entertainer with a host of talents.
After “The Cosby Show” wrapped, the New Jersey-born actor did voice work in “The Magic School Bus,” starred in his own sitcom “Malcolm & Eddie,” became a regular in Hulu’s “The Resident,” and worked alongside Angela Bassett in “9-1-1.”
Beyond acting, Warner is also a director and producer. He has helped put together numerous episodes of “All That,” “Keenan & Kel,” “Sesame Street,” and more. Additionally, Warner is a poet and musician, with several spoken word pieces across music platforms.
In June 2024, Warner launched the "Not All Hood" podcast, a platform which focuses on the experiences of Black people in America.
7. Sondra (Sabrina Le Beauf)
While acting on “The Cosby Show,” Sabrina Le Beauf simultaneously worked in the TV series “Hotel” and movie Howard Beach: Making a Case for Murder.
Le Beauf scored credits in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “The Sinbad Show,” as well as did voice work for the cartoon show “Fatherhood.”
Aside from on-screen acting, Le Beauf has done her fair share of stage productions. As reported by IMDb, she has had numerous roles at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington D.C., including “The Taming of the Shrew” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”
Le Beauf uses her social media platforms to display her love for nature and animals and update followers on her life outside of entertainment.
8. Elvin (Geoffrey Owens)
Geoffrey Owens appeared in over 125 episodes of “The Cosby Show” before taking roles in The Paper, “Built to Last,” “Law & Order,” “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” and more.
In 2018, after being shamed for working at Trader Joe’s between acting gigs, Owens was offered a part in Tyler Perry’s “The Have and the Have Nots.” “It’s been surreal,” he told "Good Morning America" after the incident happened.
Owens went on to score even more parts, appearing in 50 Cent’s “Power” franchise, Somewhere in Queens, “The Rookie,” “All Rise,” “Ghosts,” and other works. He has also helped direct projects like “Life from the Inside” and Linda Means to Wait, according to IMDb.
A lover of the arts, Owens has taught Shakespeare and acting at Columbia University and Yale University. He has also passed the talent down to his son, Jordyn Owens, who has appeared in Netflix’s “Uncoupled” and Miguel Wants to Fight.
9. Olivia (Raven-Symoné)
The sweet and curious attitude displayed by Raven-Symoné on “The Cosby Show” allowed her to stick out greatly. The child star went on to work on other shows like “A Different World,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “My Wife and Kids,” and more.
Perhaps one of her most notable roles was playing an aspiring singer on Disney Channel’s The Cheetah Girls and the teenage psychic on “That’s So Raven.” From 2017 to 2023, she returned to the character with “Raven’s Home.” In May 2024, it was revealed that the show would get yet another spin-off, “Alice in the Palace.” The agreement with Disney also includes her involvement in developing more projects with the network.
Between that time, the star found herself in countless other roles like College Road Trip, Revenge of the Bridesmaids, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, “State of Georgia,” and plenty more. She also had time to dabble more into music, releasing a few studio albums and singles.
Symoné married Miranda Pearman-Maday, an executive assistant turned social media manager, in June 2020, as reported by Chicago Tribune. Together, they began a podcast, "Tea Time with Raven and Miranda." Their platform is used to interview those in the industry and discuss topics relevant to pop culture.
10. Martin (Joseph C. Phillips)
After appearing on “The Cosby Show,” Joseph C. Phillips went on to have a successful career as an actor, writer, and educator.
Phillips went on to land major roles in shows like “General Hospital” and “13 Reasons Why,” as well as acting in movies including Midnight Blue, A Fare to Remember, Boogie Town, and more.
In 2006, the Denver native wrote “He Talk Like a White Boy,” a book about how the actor battled with not feeling “Black enough.” According to Open to Debate, Phillips has also written countless articles for newspapers and magazines across the country.
In 2022, Phillips, who is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, became a professor in Theatre and Communication Studies at the HBCU Clark Atlanta University.
11. Charmaine (Karen Malina White)
Before Karen Malina White was the talkative and vibrant character of Charmaine Brown on “The Cosby Show,” she became a standout in Lean on Me with Morgan Freeman.
The Howard University alumna began appearing in the show’s spin-off, “A Different World,” until 1993. Throughout her career, White has become known for her parts in shows like “I Didn’t Do It,” “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” and “Bruh.” She has also appeared in movies and plays such as Cheaper to Keep Her, Silent Cry Aloud, Conflict of Interest, and more.
In 2022, White resumed her role as Dijonay in the hit cartoon show “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.”
In 2024, White, along with her former co-stars, began participating in the "A Different World" HBCU Tour. The entertainers go to several different schools, inspire incoming students to attend HBCUs and help raise money for scholarships.