Phylicia Rashad

Provided by Wikipedia
Phylicia Rashad ( ) ( 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. She is best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the sitcom ''The Cosby Show'' (1984–1992) which earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations in 1985 and 1986. She also played Ruth Lucas on ''Cosby'' (1996–2000).

In 2004, Rashad became the first black actress to win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, which she won for her role in the revival of ''A Raisin in the Sun''. In 2022, Rashad won her second Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Dominique Morisseau's ''Skeleton Crew''. 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). Rashad won an NAACP Image Award when she reprised her ''A Raisin in the Sun'' role in the 2008 television adaptation.

She has appeared in the films ''For Colored Girls'' (2010), ''Good Deeds'' (2012), ''Creed'' (2015), ''Creed II'' (2018), ''Creed III'' (2023), and ''The Beekeeper'' (2024). She also voiced Brenda Glover on the Nick Jr. animated children's educational television series ''Little Bill'' (1999–2004). 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.