Phylicia Rashad is an actress, singer, and stage director whose claim to fame was playing Clair Huxtable on the popular sitcom The Cosby Show. The star has a number of accolades, including Emmy nominations, Tony Awards, and People’s Choice Awards.
In May 2021, Rashad pivoted in her career path when she was appointed dean of Howard University’s fine art college.
With such a prolific career from TV to Broadway to movies to higher education, it stands to reason Rashad has earned a pretty penny in her day. Read on to learn more about Phylicia Rashad’s net worth and how she amassed her fortune.
Phylicia Rashad Became A Household Name For Her Role On ‘The Cosby Show’
Phylicia Rashad started her career in the ’70s on Broadway, appearing in such productions as Dreamgirls and The Wiz. In 1978, she even released her own disco concept album Josephine Superstar, which told the story of the entertainer and civil rights activist Josephine Baker.
Yet it was her role alongside Bill Cosby that truly made Rashad a household name. From 1984 to 1992, she starred as Clair Huxtable on the hit NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. She earned multiple Emmy nominations and won two People’s Choice Awards for the role.
Rashad’s character didn’t just bring laughs. Clair Huxtable was also groundbreaking representation for Black women at the time. An ambitious attorney and loving mother of five children, she was a rare model for women of color.
Once the show ended, Phylicia Rashad continued her acting career. She appeared in guest roles on a number of TV shows, rejoined Bill Cosby on the sitcom Cosby in the late ’90s, as well as transitioning to the big screen in such films as Creed and Soul.
Still invested in Broadway, Rashad was actually the first black actress to win the Best Actress Tony Award in 2004 for her role in A Raisin in the Sun. In 2007, she made her directorial debut with Gem of the Ocean, and continued to be active in theater both on and behind the stage.
She Was Appointed As Dean At Howard University’s College Of Fine Arts
In May 2021, Howard University announced that Rashad was appointed the new dean of its College of Fine Arts.
“It is an honor to welcome one of Howard’s acclaimed daughters back home to Alma Mater,” read a statement from the school’s provost Anthony K. Wutoh. “In this full circle moment, Ms. Phylicia Rashad will take the training and skills that she honed as a student at Howard and exuded in an outstanding performing career, and she will share those pearls of wisdom with the next generation of students…”
Multiple colleagues lavished Rashad with praise in a press release about the appointment. Yet the role may be in jeopardy. On June 30th, 2021, Rashad expressed public support for Bill Cosby and his unexpected release from a 10-year prison sentence.
“Finally,” she wrote in all caps, shortly after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned Cosby’s conviction for indecent assault. “A terrible wrong is being righted—a miscarriage of justice is corrected.”
Howard University disavowed her remarks, saying that her personal position did not reflect the school’s policies on sexual assault. Despite the outrage and countless calls for Rashad to step down from her new post, Howard University has stopped short of cutting ties with their celebrity alum. It remains to be seen if the #ByePhylicia movement will gain more traction in the coming days and weeks.
Rashad, who disabled comments from the get-go, has since deleted the offending tweet. Hours later, she followed up with a second tweet that read:
“I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.”
What Is Phylicia Rashad’s Net Worth?
According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Phylicia Rashad has an estimated net worth of $25 million.
We believe the bulk of her fortune comes from The Cosby Show, which has been in syndication since 1988. However, she has also earned paychecks from plenty of other projects, including her numerous TV, film, and Broadway appearances and behind-the-scenes work.
Previous relationships likely factored into her net worth as well.
Rashad was married to a dentist, William Lancelot Bowles Jr., for three years between 1972 and 1975. The couple share one son together. In 1978, she wed Victor Willis, the original lead singer of the Village People. The pair divorced in 1982. In 1985, Rashad then married former NFL wide receiver and sportscaster Ahmad Rash?d. The couple had a daughter together before parting ways in 2001.
While details on divorce settlements aren’t available, it’s safe to assume the three divorces had some impact on her financially.
Finally, there’s no word yet on how much she’ll be paid for her position at Howard University and how that will factor into her wealth. But if the school heeds the call of angry alums, perhaps there’ll be no salary to account for.