Latest news with #sitcom
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kyla Pratt To Join Fox's ‘Animal Control' Season 4 as Recurring Guest Star
Kyla Pratt will join the cast of Fox's 'Animal Control' as a recurring guest star in the sitcom's upcoming fourth season. Pratt will play the role of Daisy, a new member of the Seattle Animal Control squad who serves as Templeton Dudge's (Gerry Dee) partner. Pratt's Daisy is set to appear in eight episodes of the upcoming season, including the season premiere, which is expected later this year on Fox. More from Variety Fox Comedy 'Best Medicine' Adds 'Turtles All the Way Down' Star Cree (EXCLUSIVE) Fox Biblical Event Series 'The Faithful' Casts Minnie Driver, Jeffrey Donovan, Natacha Karam MLB All-Star Game 2025 Livestream: How to Watch the National League vs. American League Online Free Fox described Pratt's 'Animal Control' character as 'exuberant and fearless' and 'a confident single mom with a healthy appreciation for conspiracy theories,' suggesting a mix of eccentricity and wholesomeness that will likely fit right in with the show's already-wacky character cast. 'Animal Control' stars Joel McHale as part of a group of local Animal Control workers 'whose lives are complicated by the fact that animals are simple, but humans are not.' The show also stars Michael Rowland, Vella Lovell, Ravi Patel and Grace Palmer. Animal Control is produced by Fox Entertainment Studios and executive produced by Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg, Dan Sterling, Tad Quill and McHale. Appearing in movies and television shows since she was a child, Pratt is known for voicing the character Penny Proud in the Disney Channel animated series 'The Proud Family' and for playing lead character Breanna Barnes in UPN's 'One On One.' Pratt also played Maya Dolittle in the 'Dr. Dolittle' franchise, starring opposite Eddie Murphy in two films before taking the titular lead in their two sequels. In the 2000s, she appeared in films 'Love & Basketball,' 'Fat Albert' and 'Hotel For Dogs' and has more recently appeared in 'Let's Meet Again on Christmas Eve' and 'Not Another Church Movie.' On television, Pratt revived her role as Penny Proud on the Disney+ revival series, 'The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder' and starred as a series regular on Fox's 'Call Me Cat.' She also participated as a celebrity contestant in Season 3 of Fox's 'Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bill Cosby Breaks Silence On Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Tragic Death
Former TV Dad Bill Cosby is speaking out after the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played his son, Theo, on the popular 1980s sitcom 'The Cosby Show.' Warner died this past weekend of accidental drowning off the coast of Limon, Costa Rica. He was 54. After the news broke, Cosby told People through his spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, that Warner's death 'reminded him of the same call he received' in 1997 when his only son, Ennis William Cosby, was murdered during an attempted robbery on a Los Angeles freeway ramp. Wyatt said Warner and Ennis played together when they were young and that Cosby and Warner 'spoke all the time' before his death. ADVERTISEMENT 'He found a way to talk about Malcolm even though he was sad,' Wyatt said of Cosby, adding that the actor has spent time reminiscing about Warner with his former TV wife Phylicia Rashad. In addition, Wyatt told the New York Post that Cosby told him he considered his relationship with his younger co-stars important to him. 'While I was their TV dad, I never stopped being a father to them,' Wyatt quoted Cosby. Cosby did a phone interview with CBS News reporter Jericka Duncan where he praised Warner's work ethic. 'He was never afraid to go to his room and study. He knew his lines and that he was quite comfortable even with the growing pains of being a teenager,' Cosby said, adding that he and Warner last spoke three months ago. Although Warner did remain in contact with Cosby, there were challenges after the comedian was accused of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment by more than 60 women. ADVERTISEMENT Cosby was the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era and spent nearly three years at a state prison near Philadelphia before a higher court overturned the conviction and released him in 2021. In a 2015 interview with HuffPost, Warner compared Cosby's situation to those of Woody Allen and Roman Polanski, who have both faced allegations of their own. 'When we talk about Woody Allen, we don't talk about his controversy. When we talk about Roman Polanski now, that's no longer part of the conversation. So if that's how it goes, then I hope the same will be of 'The Cosby Show,'' Warner said. A few months later, in an interview with BET, Warner took the same mindset toward Allen and Polanski, but noted 'It's very clear the crimes they've committed, but there's no one who's calling for Woody's movies to be pulled off the air.' Still, he admitted he couldn't defend his former co-star's offscreen actions. ADVERTISEMENT 'I am in no position to defend [Cosby], because I can't,' he said. 'Nor will I throw him under the bus,' he added. Related...
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner shocks fans: ‘We saw ourselves in him'
For Black youth and teens growing up in the mid-1980s, The Cosby Show offered something rarely seen on television up until that time: a sitcom that placed characters who looked like them in a positive light. And Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Theo Huxtable was the character generation X most related to. Fans took quickly to social media on Monday as news of Warner's accidental drowning in Costa Rica spread. 'It's like losing one of us,' said Harriet Cammock, a 58-year-old Detroit author and speaker. 'This is the thing with television. When you're watching people every week on television, you think you know them and you're related to them.' Warner was swimming Sunday afternoon at Playa Cocles in Costa Rica's Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the Caribbean, according to that country's judicial investigation department. First responders found him without vital signs. Cori Murray, executive vice-president of content at Ebony Magazine, was saddened upon hearing about Warner's death. She said his Theo character mirrored the everyday Black teenager, which was rare to see on TV at the time. While so many portrayals of young Black teenagers leaned negative, The Cosby Show, especially Theo, showed warmth, joy and relatability. 'He wasn't just a character. We saw ourselves in him,' Murray said. 'You know how Kendrick Lamar has the song 'Not Like Us'? Well, Theo was one of us. He was like us.' Murray, who met Warner a few times, recalled his character off-screen matched the warmth he exuded on television. She called him respectful and pleasant and said he had a 'megawatt smile' that lit up the room. 'His energy stayed with you,' Murray said. 'You don't have a bad memory when it comes to Theo or Malcolm-Jamal Warner. As much as we loved the character, we also watched Malcolm grow up in real life. No scandals. No mess. Just a talented young man who matured into an upstanding, handsome adult.' The Cosby Show was groundbreaking and a ratings giant, drawing in viewers across racial, cultural and economic backgrounds. The show ran for 197 episodes from 1984 to 1992. In 1986, Warner earned an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in a comedy. The show starring Bill Cosby as Cliff Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad as his wife, Clair, 'made the wider society aware that there are Black people who live like white people do', said Cammock, who is Black. 'The perception that we don't live like they do was hurtful.' Gil Robertson, co-founder and president of the African American Film Critics Association, reflected on Warner's rare path in the entertainment industry. 'There was never any scandal, no controversy,' said Robertson. 'He transitioned from a teen star to a respected adult without the baggage we often see from others in his generation. That's no small feat.' Robertson added: 'The legacy of Theo Huxtable – and Malcolm's performance – will live on. It left an imprint that will continue to resonate in our culture for generations.' Lynn Reasonover, 62, of Oak Lawn, Illinois, began receiving messages Monday afternoon about Warner's death. Her initial thoughts were 'Nope, didn't happen.' 'Then, I kept seeing the news flashes and friends started sending texts,' Reasonover said. 'So, it's sinking in. Makes you realize how much some celebrities help shape our memories. His work had such a huge impact. I'm feeling a personal loss because we grew up with him. It's like losing a part of our childhood.' Reasonover saw much of her family in the Huxtables, where both parents were professionals who valued education and handled family issues with understanding and love. 'They had similar problems to what we experienced growing up,' she said. 'We could relate and that's why we laughed.' Rasheda Williams, 46, of Detroit was about the same age as Rudy, the youngest character on The Cosby Show and Theo's little sister. Williams said she and others are mourning Warner's passing because of what they saw in the character he played. 'He's like the ideal cousin you wish you had,' Williams said. 'Hearing the news has really affected some of us. It was unexpected. He wasn't sick. That makes it even more tragic.' 'He wasn't just an actor,' she said. 'He was also an activist, a positive role model, not just for young Black men, but for young Black women as well.'
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner shocks fans: ‘We saw ourselves in him'
For Black youth and teens growing up in the mid-1980s, The Cosby Show offered something rarely seen on television up until that time: a sitcom that placed characters who looked like them in a positive light. And Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Theo Huxtable was the character generation X most related to. Fans took quickly to social media on Monday as news of Warner's accidental drowning in Costa Rica spread. 'It's like losing one of us,' said Harriet Cammock, a 58-year-old Detroit author and speaker. 'This is the thing with television. When you're watching people every week on television, you think you know them and you're related to them.' Warner was swimming Sunday afternoon at Playa Cocles in Costa Rica's Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the Caribbean, according to that country's judicial investigation department. First responders found him without vital signs. Cori Murray, executive vice-president of content at Ebony Magazine, was saddened upon hearing about Warner's death. She said his Theo character mirrored the everyday Black teenager, which was rare to see on TV at the time. While so many portrayals of young Black teenagers leaned negative, The Cosby Show, especially Theo, showed warmth, joy and relatability. 'He wasn't just a character. We saw ourselves in him,' Murray said. 'You know how Kendrick Lamar has the song 'Not Like Us'? Well, Theo was one of us. He was like us.' Murray, who met Warner a few times, recalled his character off-screen matched the warmth he exuded on television. She called him respectful and pleasant and said he had a 'megawatt smile' that lit up the room. 'His energy stayed with you,' Murray said. 'You don't have a bad memory when it comes to Theo or Malcolm-Jamal Warner. As much as we loved the character, we also watched Malcolm grow up in real life. No scandals. No mess. Just a talented young man who matured into an upstanding, handsome adult.' The Cosby Show was groundbreaking and a ratings giant, drawing in viewers across racial, cultural and economic backgrounds. The show ran for 197 episodes from 1984 to 1992. In 1986, Warner earned an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in a comedy. The show starring Bill Cosby as Cliff Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad as his wife, Clair, 'made the wider society aware that there are Black people who live like white people do', said Cammock, who is Black. 'The perception that we don't live like they do was hurtful.' Gil Robertson, co-founder and president of the African American Film Critics Association, reflected on Warner's rare path in the entertainment industry. 'There was never any scandal, no controversy,' said Robertson. 'He transitioned from a teen star to a respected adult without the baggage we often see from others in his generation. That's no small feat.' Robertson added: 'The legacy of Theo Huxtable – and Malcolm's performance – will live on. It left an imprint that will continue to resonate in our culture for generations.' Lynn Reasonover, 62, of Oak Lawn, Illinois, began receiving messages Monday afternoon about Warner's death. Her initial thoughts were 'Nope, didn't happen.' 'Then, I kept seeing the news flashes and friends started sending texts,' Reasonover said. 'So, it's sinking in. Makes you realize how much some celebrities help shape our memories. His work had such a huge impact. I'm feeling a personal loss because we grew up with him. It's like losing a part of our childhood.' Reasonover saw much of her family in the Huxtables, where both parents were professionals who valued education and handled family issues with understanding and love. 'They had similar problems to what we experienced growing up,' she said. 'We could relate and that's why we laughed.' Rasheda Williams, 46, of Detroit was about the same age as Rudy, the youngest character on The Cosby Show and Theo's little sister. Williams said she and others are mourning Warner's passing because of what they saw in the character he played. 'He's like the ideal cousin you wish you had,' Williams said. 'Hearing the news has really affected some of us. It was unexpected. He wasn't sick. That makes it even more tragic.' 'He wasn't just an actor,' she said. 'He was also an activist, a positive role model, not just for young Black men, but for young Black women as well.'
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
‘The Cosby Show' star Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowns in Costa Rica at age 54
LOS ANGELES, July 22 — US actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played the son in the smash-hit sitcom The Cosby Show, has drowned in Costa Rica, authorities in the country said Monday. He was 54. Warner played the loveable Theo Huxtable for all eight seasons of the show, helmed by disgraced comic actor Bill Cosby. 'We received a report of an adult male who died of drowning asphyxiation at Coles Beach in Cahuita' on Sunday afternoon, said a statement from investigating police. 'When the victim entered the sea he was apparently pulled out by a current. 'The man was assisted by bystanders on the beach, but was pronounced dead by Red Cross lifeguards.' Local authorities identified him as the actor, and said his body had been transferred to a morgue for further analysis. Warner, who was nominated for an Emmy for his work on The Cosby Show, also appeared in sitcoms Malcolm & Eddie and Reed Between the Lines. The Cosby Show, which ran from 1984 to 1992, was one of the biggest TV hits of its time, detailing the lives of a middle-class Black family in New York. The show was inspired by the stand-up routines of Bill Cosby, who played the family's patriarch, a successful doctor. The show was a commercial and critical hit, and was seen as groundbreaking for its depiction of a loving, happy Black family. But its legacy has been overshadowed in recent years by dozens of complaints of sexual assault against Cosby, a man once known as 'America's Dad.' — AFP
