The American sitcom, The Cosby Show, was a cultural exemplar during the height of its popularity. It aired for eight seasons, from September 20, 1984, to April 30, 1992, where it depicted the life of an upper-middle-class family in Brooklyn, New York. The characters, the narrative and the events were relatable to many regular American folks. So for the eight years that it was on TV, the audience watched the Huxtable children grow up. The show was so iconic that the TV guide gave the show credit for being “TV’s biggest hit in the 1980s”. It was also said to have revived the sitcom genre in the US. The character “Cliff Huxtable” was also named as the “Greatest Television Dad.” As with any TV series that we grew up with, we often wonder what happened to the actors, especially the kids. We are also often curious to find out whether the celebrities went on to become more famous, or whether their days in The Cosby Show made them better actors and actresses. We also hope one day they could recapture the glory days of the Huxtable family.
Sabrina Le Beauf (Sondra Huxtable Tibideaux)
After her productive career in The Cosby Show, the eldest daughter of the Huxtable family decided to shift away from TV and focus her efforts on the stage. She appeared in various productions, including Nora and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore. She has also remained associated with The Cosby Show — over the years she appeared in Cosby (1999) and Fatherhood (2004), with the latter being an animated sitcom inspired by the show. She voiced the character of Norma Bindlebeep in the series. We know that her last movie screen role was in The Stalker Within in 1999, where she played the role of Leila. She now enjoys her life in Hawaii, where the moving company probably took their time to transfer her belongings from the continental US.
Geoffrey Owens (Elvin Tibideaux)
Geoffrey played Elvin, the boyfriend-turned-husband of Sondra in the show. After the sitcom ended, the actor received various roles in film, including in movies like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He played many roles, including as a dad, lawyer, teacher, and doctor. He was happy when he got the role of a police detective in Impossible Monsters because it was a novel role for him. Over the years, he has starred in Lucifer, as an assistant dean, and as a court mediator in The Secret Life of the American Teenager. In 2012, Geoffrey starred in the play Race by David Mamet, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. We also love his comedic contribution to the drama series Divorce. As a side note, Geoffrey also taught Shakespeare and acting at Columbia University at Yale.
Lisa Bonet (Denise Huxtable)
We all grew up with a celebrity crush. For most boys of this era, Lisa Bonet was the one they admired. In the series, she was given the character of a wild and free-spirited child. Years later and in real life, the actress is still showing that vibe. When she left the show in 1987, she starred in the spinoff, A Different World, which focused on Denise Huxtable’s life while earning a college degree. While the series was running, she got pregnant and ran off with Lenny Kravitz. They split some years after, but she had a daughter named Zoe with Lenny. She went on to marry Jason Momoa in 2007. She had a recurring role in the TV series The Red Road, starring her partner and husband, Jason Momoa. Lisa is a known anti-vaxxer, believing that vaccines cause a host of various diseases.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Theo Huxtable)
Playing Theo Huxtable, Malcolm has made himself a crowd favorite. It is good to note that he auditioned for the role during the last day of auditions and was selected by Bill Cosby himself. Having shown talent in directing, Malcolm started directing on Cosby. He also became the youngest director-member of the Director’s Guild of America. With more than 10 directing credits to his name, Malcolm is not the young Huxtable he used to portray anymore. Apart from directing, he continued his role as an actor by appearing on various series like Suits and Major Crimes. He also had a recurring role in the series The Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce. He is currently married and has a loving daughter, whom he refuses to name for privacy reasons.
Carl Anthony Payne II (Walter Bradley)
He was known as “Cockroach” on the show, but unlike the pest that we all hate, Carl Anthony has grown to be a well-loved celebrity. He was best known for playing Cole Brown in the 1990s TV series Martin. He also appeared on the sitcom George Lopez, Rock Me Baby, on the film The Breaks (1999), and Feast 2: Sloppy Seconds. In recent years, Carl Anthony had worked on various films and movies, with the latest being Miles Wilson in Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan. He also appeared in a couple of music videos, including “Mint Condition.” In raising his sons, he believes that they must know that, to be comfortable, one must be uncomfortable and get their hands dirty — perhaps this includes even home tasks like plumbing services.
Tempestt Bledsoe (Vanessa Huxtable)
Her character in the show, Vanessa, was known to be full of flair, mischief, and an excellent sense of fashion. Her playful personality is what she carried over to her life after Cosby. She has appeared in numerous shows like The Parkers and A Different World, which was a spinoff of the Cosby Show. It was also impressive that despite her busy schedule, she obtained a finance degree from the Stern School of Business. In later years, she has dabbled in being a voice talent, lending her voice to ParaNorman as Sheriff Hooper. She also reprised her role as Vanessa in the Instant Mom episode “Not Your Mother’s Day”. Tempestt is a vegetarian and has been in a relationship with fellow celebrity Darryl M. Bell since 1993.
Deon Richmond (Kenny)
Playing the role of Kenny, Deon had a secondary role. But his character was memorable as he was Rudy’s friend in the sitcom. The young actor also appeared in various sitcoms and TV shows including Sister, Sister, and Eddie Murphy Raw. He also had a role in Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper. In 1992, he appeared in the Kris Kross music video “Warm It Up”. His career seemed to have taken a downturn after the 90s, but he still managed to appear for two cameo roles in 2014 for One Love and Psych. Before this, he had a stint in the short-lived show, Teachers. With an estimated net worth of $1 million, despite a lackluster career, we can say he was able to make suitable investments from the money he earned during his earlier acting career.
Raven-Symone (Olivia Kendall)
She is said to be the most successful among all the celebrities from The Cosby Show. Raven enjoyed a long list of TV and film roles over the years. She is the name behind Disney’s That’s So Raven that ran from 2003 to 2007. Raven also appeared in Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper as Nicole Lee. She also tried her luck as a host in the variety talk show The View. The celebrity’s film credits included Dr. Dolittle, College Road Trip, and A Girl Like Grace. Apart from being a director and a producer, Raven has also lent her voice to various computer-animated films such as The Pirate Fairy, Tinker Bell, and Everyone’s Hero. In 2020, she married social media manager Miranda Maday.
Keshia Knight Pulliam (Rudy Huxtable)
Keshia has largely been associated with her role as Rudy. She appeared in many other films and TV shows, including The Little, The Gospel, and Madea Goes to Jail. In 2001, she became part of the Special Child TV Stars Edition of The Weakest Link. Keshia tried her luck on The Celebrity Apprentice Season 7 in 2015 but was eliminated during the first season. Her most significant role as an adult was as Miranda Payne in the comedy-drama House of Payne, which ran from from 2007 to 2012. Outside of acting, she devotes her time to her podcast, Kandidly Keshia. She also most likely works with attorneys, social workers, and government officials as part of her advocacy in empowering young women through her non-profit, Kamp Kizzy.