Phylicia Rashad Delivers Tribute to ‘Cosby Show’ Son Malcolm-Jamal Warner at Emmys: He ‘Remains in Our Hearts’

Phylicia Rashad, who played the indelible matriarch Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” introduced the in memoriam performance at the 2025 Emmys and used the opportunity to say goodbye to her onscreen son, Theo Huxtable actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner.

“He was a beloved teenager in an iconic television series who the world watched grow into manhood,” she said. “Like all our friends and colleagues who transitioned this past year, Malcolm-Jamal Warner remains in our hearts. Tonight, as is tradition at the Emmys, we remember them not just for their immense talent, but also for the way they made us believe in something bigger, the best that is within us. Even though they may not longer be here with us, we can all smile, knowing their impact will remain, knowing that their lasting impressions will continue to live on through story, knowing that they touched our lives. And whether you grew up watching them, or have just now discovered their brilliance, their light remains in the very fabric of our industry.”

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Warner died in July at 54 years old as a result of an accidental drowning while on vacation with his family in Costa Rica.

Rashad and Warner were co-stars on “The Cosby Show” for the entire eight season run. Warner also guest starred as Theo on the first two seasons of the “Cosby Show” spin-off “A Different World.”

On Sept. 12, Tenisha Warner paid tribute to her late husband on Instagram, writing, “Thank you for holding us in so much love during this tender time. Tomorrow marks our anniversary — and my heart is wide open. For the first time, I’m sharing a glimpse of the love that began it all. I can still hear my husband’s laugh, still feel the way he made room for every part of me — every tear, every dream.”

She also announced plans for a new project to pay tribute to his legacy, writing, “Today, in his honor, my daughter and I are launching River & Ember and officially opening The Warner Family Foundation. Together we carry the legacy my husband and I began— one that nurtures children’s inner light and gives young artists the freedom to create outside the lines. This is love, Still moving. Still making. Still carrying us forward.”