Phylicia Rashād

Phylicia Rashād

Phylicia Rashad (née Ayers-Allen; born June 19, 1948) is an American actress. She was most recently dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University before her three-year contract ended in May 2024. Known for her roles on stage and screen, she has received two Tony Awards as well as nominations for six Primetime Emmy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

She is best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992) which earned her two Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series nominations in 1985 and 1986. She also played Ruth Lucas on Cosby (1996–2000), and Brenda Glover in Little Bill (1999–2004). She was also Emmy-nominated for her roles in A Raisin in the Sun (2008) and This Is Us (2019–2021). On stage, Rashad became the first Black actress to win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, for a revival of A Raisin in the Sun (2004). She won her second Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Dominique Morisseau's Skeleton Crew (2022). Her other Broadway credits include Into the Woods (1988), Jelly's Last Jam (1993), Gem of the Ocean (2004), and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2008). She has appeared in various films such as For Colored Girls (2010), Good Deeds (2012), Creed (2015), Creed II (2018), Creed III (2023), and The Beekeeper (2024). She lent her voice to the Disney-Pixar animated film Soul (2020). In the 21st century, she has directed revivals of three plays by August Wilson, in major theaters in Seattle, Princeton, New Jersey; and Los Angeles. She also directed Purpose (play) in its 2024-2025 run at the Helen Hayes Theater on Broadway.

Acting

2025

2024

2024

The Beekeeper

Eloise Parker

2023

2023

Curses!

Georgia (voice)

2023

2023

2023

Creed III

Mary-Anne Creed

2022

Sherri

Self - Guest

2022

The Gilded Age

Elizabeth Kirkland

2021

tick, tick... BOOM!

"Sunday" Legend #12

2021

Show of Titles

"There's No Business Like Show Business" Performer

2021

2020

Soul

Libba Gardner (voice)

2020

2020

2020

Black Box

Lillian

2020

2020

Little America

Margaret Jean the Queen

2019

Tamron Hall

Self - Guest

2019

David Makes Man

Dr. Woods-Trap

2018

Creed II

Mary Anne Creed

2018

2017

Tour de Pharmacy

Victoria Young

2017

The Good Fight

Renetta Clark

2016

This Is Us

Carol Clarke

2016

2015

Creed

Mary Anne Creed

2015

Emily & Tim

Emily (Segment 5)

2015

2013

Do No Harm

Dr. Vanessa Young

2013

Sofia the First

Mountain Witch (voice)

2012

2012

Good Deeds

Wilimena Deeds

2011

2010

2010

2010

Just Wright

Ella McKnight

2008

2006

Psych

Winnifred Guster

2005

2005

Grey's Anatomy

Nell Timms

2002

2001

2000

Bull

Unknown

1999

Little Bill

Brenda Glover (voice)

1998

Dinosaur - Preshow

Dr Helen Marsh

1996

Cosby

Ruth Lucas

1996

1996

1995

1995

1994

Touched by an Angel

Elizabeth Jessup

1992

1991

Jailbirds

Janice Grant

1990

1990

Blossom

Unknown

1990

The Earth Day Special

Clair Huxtable

1987

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Jane Goodfellow (voice)

1987

A Different World

Clair Huxtable

1987

A Different World

Clair Huxtable

1987

1984

The Cosby Show

Clair Huxtable

1983

Reading Rainbow

Narrator (voice)

1981

1956

Tony Awards

Self - Presenter

1949

1948

Directing

2005

Infos

Full Name
Phylicia Rashād
Gender
Female
Date of Birth
6/19/1948
Also Known As

Phylicia Ayers-Allen

Phylicia Rashad