Phylicia Rashad
Biography
Phylicia Rashad is an American actress whose work on stage and screen has earned her two Tony Awards and nominations for Emmys and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Born in Houston, Texas, and trained at Howard University, she first drew notice in theater, making her Broadway debut in Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death in 1971. She became widely known as Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, playing the role from 1984 to 1992 and receiving two Emmy nominations. On Broadway she won a Tony for A Raisin in the Sun, becoming the first Black actress to take Best Actress in a Play, and later won for Skeleton Crew. Her films include For Colored Girls (2010), Good Deeds (2012), Creed (2015), Creed II (2018), Creed III (2023), and The Beekeeper (2024), and she voiced a character in Soul (2020). She also directed revivals of plays by August Wilson.
78years old
Turns 79 on June 19in 249 days
- Born Houston
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Also credited as Phylicia Ayers-Allen and Phylicia Rashād
Movie Career
- Films
- 21
- Career span
- 30 years1995 to 2025
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Behind the award
In 2004, Rashad shared the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Play with Viola Davis. Rashad was honored for A Raisin in the Sun, while Davis was recognized for Intimate Apparel.
First role
Rashad first gained notice for her stage work. Her Broadway debut came in 1971, in the Melvin Van Peebles musical Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death.
A role that slipped away
Rashad returned to Broadway in several productions, including Dreamgirls, where she played Deena Jones. She was also Sheryl Lee Ralph's understudy until 1982, when she left after not being chosen as Ralph's full-time replacement.
Behind the camera
Rashad's first work as a director came in 2007, when the Seattle Repertory Theatre staged August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean under her direction.
A first
In 1993, Rashad became the first narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional after the event moved to Epcot. Walt Disney Records recorded and released her telling of the nativity story.
Phylicia Rashad movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Tyler Perry directed three of these films, Kenny Leon two. Tessa Thompson appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Tessa Thompson's page
Queen Latifah's page
All films by Tyler Perry
Kenny LeonDirector, 2 films, 2008 to 2012
All films by Kenny Leon
Also two films together7 more actors
- Thandie NewtonGood Deeds (2012) and For Colored Girls (2010)
- Tyler PerryA Fall from Grace (2020) and Good Deeds (2012)
- Anika Noni RoseJingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020) and For Colored Girls (2010)
- Mehcad BrooksA Fall from Grace (2020) and Just Wright (2010)
- Florian MunteanuCreed III (2023) and Creed II (2018)
- Andre WardCreed II (2018) and Creed (2015)
- Tony BellewCreed III (2023) and Creed (2015)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Phylicia Rashad's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$1.0 billion
9 of the 21 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 21 films: 9 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 7 never in cinemas; 1 streaming, short cinema run; 3 figure not found.
- 9Worldwide figure
- 1US gross only
- 7Never in cinemas
- 1Streaming, short cinema run
- 3Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$275M26.4% of the total
- 2$214M20.5% of the total
- 3$174M16.6% of the total
- 4$163M15.6% of the total
- 5$122M11.7% of the total
- 6$38M3.6% of the total
- 7$36M3.4% of the total
- 8$22M2.1% of the total
$706,546from the other 1 film with a worldwide figure, 0% of the total
Awards
Ten awards and honors from 1985 to 2016, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Awards | |||
| 2004 | Best Actress in a Play | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2016 | Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play | Won | |
| 2011 | Honorary degree from Spelman College | Honorary | |
| 2004 | Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play | Won | |
| 1997 | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Cosby | Won |
| 1985 | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | The Cosby Show | Won |
| Honorary doctor of Carnegie-Mellon University | Honorary | ||
| Honorary doctor of Fordham University | Honorary | ||
| Honorary doctor of the Howard University | Honorary | ||
| Honorary doctorate from Brown University | Honorary | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.