Where are These Beloved Sitcom Moms Today?

#13: Phylicia Rashad as Clair Huxtable, The Cosby Show

Clair Huxtable redefined what a sitcom mom could be. Elegant, quick-witted, and in total control, she balanced her law career with raising five kids — and never once lost her cool. On The Cosby Show, she embodied success, humor, and grace, setting a new standard for TV motherhood in the 1980s.

Phylicia Rashad played Clair with effortless authority. She wasn’t playing perfect — she was playing powerful. Her timing, intelligence, and poise made every line memorable. Rashad gave audiences something fresh: a mom who could be funny and fierce, nurturing and no-nonsense, all in the same breath.