Phylicia Rashād

Phylicia Rashād

Acting
Born 1948-06-19Houston, Texas, USA

Biography

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.

Movies (63)

Soul
8.1

Soul

2020Movie8.1
The Beekeeper
7.3

The Beekeeper

2024Movie7.3
Creed II
7.0

Creed II

2018Movie7.0
Creed III
7.1

Creed III

2023Movie7.1
Creed
7.4

Creed

2015Movie7.4
tick, tick... BOOM!
7.6

tick, tick... BOOM!

2021Movie7.6
Ruth & Boaz
7.5

Ruth & Boaz

2025Movie7.5
Just Wright
6.5

Just Wright

2010Movie6.5
Emily & Tim
5.6

Emily & Tim

2015Movie5.6
Being Mary Tyler Moore
6.7

Being Mary Tyler Moore

2023Movie6.7
Good Deeds
6.3

Good Deeds

2012Movie6.3
A Fall from Grace
7.0

A Fall from Grace

2020Movie7.0
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
6.5

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

2020Movie6.5
Tour de Pharmacy
6.7

Tour de Pharmacy

2017Movie6.7
Our Son
6.3

Our Son

2023Movie6.3
The Babysitter's Seduction
5.8

The Babysitter's Seduction

1996Movie5.8
Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King
8.1

Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King

2020Movie8.1
Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man
6.5

Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man

2001Movie6.5
The Earth Day Special
6.1

The Earth Day Special

1990Movie6.1
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
6.0

NBC 75th Anniversary Special

2002Movie6.0
Show of Titles

Show of Titles

2021Movie
Black Box
6.4

Black Box

2020Movie6.4
For Colored Girls
6.7

For Colored Girls

2010Movie6.7
The Broad Coalition
10.0

The Broad Coalition

1972Movie10.0
VH1 Hip Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens

VH1 Hip Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens

2016Movie
Bob Hope's Four-Star Christmas Fiesta from San Antonio

Bob Hope's Four-Star Christmas Fiesta from San Antonio

1992Movie
Steel Magnolias
6.9

Steel Magnolias

2012Movie6.9
Frankie & Alice
5.9

Frankie & Alice

2010Movie5.9
The Old Settler
3.8

The Old Settler

2001Movie3.8
Between the World and Me
7.9

Between the World and Me

2020Movie7.9
Polly
8.2

Polly

1989Movie8.2
False Witness
9.0

False Witness

1989Movie9.0
Gods Behaving Badly
2.5

Gods Behaving Badly

2013Movie2.5
Uncle Tom's Cabin
7.0

Uncle Tom's Cabin

1987Movie7.0
The Visit
7.9

The Visit

2001Movie7.9
Heaven Down Here
7.7

Heaven Down Here

2023Movie7.7
Mickey's 60th Birthday
6.8

Mickey's 60th Birthday

1988Movie6.8
Dreams Worth While: The Journey of "A Raisin in the Sun"

Dreams Worth While: The Journey of "A Raisin in the Sun"

2008Movie
David's Mother
8.3

David's Mother

1994Movie8.3
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
1.5

Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee

2014Movie1.5
A Raisin in the Sun
6.1

A Raisin in the Sun

2008Movie6.1
Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Affair

Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Affair

Movie
God and the Inner City

God and the Inner City

2003Movie
We're Fighting Back
7.0

We're Fighting Back

1981Movie7.0
Superstars and their Moms
10.0

Superstars and their Moms

1987Movie10.0
The Cosby Show: A Look Back
7.8

The Cosby Show: A Look Back

2002Movie7.8
Free of Eden
9.7

Free of Eden

1999Movie9.7
Polly: Comin' Home!
8.5

Polly: Comin' Home!

1990Movie8.5
Change of Plans
6.7

Change of Plans

2011Movie6.7
The Debbie Allen Special

The Debbie Allen Special

1989Movie
Coretta Scott

Coretta Scott

Movie
Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored
4.2

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored

1996Movie4.2
Hallelujah
6.5

Hallelujah

1993Movie6.5
The Possession of Michael D.
5.4

The Possession of Michael D.

1995Movie5.4
Jailbirds
7.7

Jailbirds

1991Movie7.7
Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist
8.0

Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist

2021Movie8.0
August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand

August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand

2015Movie
JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala

JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala

2017Movie
Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous

Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous

2021Movie
Nell Carter... Never Too Old to Dream

Nell Carter... Never Too Old to Dream

1986Movie
Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

2021Movie
Charlie's Place

Charlie's Place

2018Movie
Dinosaur - Preshow
10.0

Dinosaur - Preshow

1998Movie10.0

TV Shows (35)

Grey's Anatomy
8.2

Grey's Anatomy

2005Series8.2
Psych
7.9

Psych

2006Series7.9
This Is Us
8.2

This Is Us

2016Series8.2
American Playhouse
6.6

American Playhouse

1982Series6.6
The Cosby Show
7.0

The Cosby Show

1984Series7.0
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
7.8

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

1987Series7.8
Sherri
2.6

Sherri

2022Series2.6
Station 19
8.2

Station 19

2018Series8.2
The Good Fight
7.6

The Good Fight

2017Series7.6
Touched by an Angel
7.2

Touched by an Angel

1994Series7.2
Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956Series
The Gilded Age
7.7

The Gilded Age

2022Series7.7
Intimate Portrait
4.5

Intimate Portrait

1993Series4.5
A Different World
7.1

A Different World

1987Series7.1
Tamron Hall
4.5

Tamron Hall

2019Series4.5
Sofia the First
7.2

Sofia the First

2013Series7.2
Everybody Hates Chris
8.1

Everybody Hates Chris

2005Series8.1
Empire
7.1

Empire

2015Series7.1
Blossom
6.2

Blossom

1990Series6.2
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
6.3

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

1995Series6.3
Reading Rainbow
8.4

Reading Rainbow

1983Series8.4
Curses!
6.2

Curses!

2023Series6.2
Diarra from Detroit
4.7

Diarra from Detroit

2024Series4.7
Little America
6.6

Little America

2020Series6.6
In the House
7.8

In the House

1995Series7.8
Cosby
6.1

Cosby

1996Series6.1
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
8.0

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

1948Series8.0
Bull
6.8

Bull

2000Series6.8
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
4.1

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

1996Series4.1
David Makes Man
6.7

David Makes Man

2019Series6.7
Little Bill
6.9

Little Bill

1999Series6.9
Jean-Claude Van Johnson
6.6

Jean-Claude Van Johnson

2016Series6.6
The Emmy Awards
7.9

The Emmy Awards

1949Series7.9
Do No Harm
6.2

Do No Harm

2013Series6.2
Inside the Black Box
5.0

Inside the Black Box

2022Series5.0