What Is the 'Cosby Curse'? Inside What Happened After Cameras Stopped Filming

Although The Cosby Show was once one of America's most beloved sitcoms, its legacy has since been clouded by controversy, with many referring to its downfall as the "Cosby curse."

The Cosby Show followed Dr. Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) and his family navigating everyday life in Brooklyn, N.Y. Airing from 1984 to 1992, the sitcom was primarily comedic but occasionally tackled serious issues like learning disabilities and teen pregnancy.

Although the show was seriously popular, some of The Cosby Show's cast would become embroiled in controversy.

Cosby’s image as a wholesome, trusted patriarch was irreparably damaged after he was accused of sexual assault by more than 60 women.

Cosby was convicted of sexual assault in 2018 — a conviction that was later overturned in 2021 — only for five more women to come forward with similar accusations.

Lisa Bonet, who played Cosby’s free-spirited daughter Denise Huxtable, struggled with her transition from sitcom actress into more risqué roles.

After the sexual assault allegations against Cosby hit headlines, Bonet admitted that the patriarch always had a “sinister, shadow energy” about him.

“There was no knowledge on my part about his specific actions, but … There was just energy,” she told PORTEREdit in 2018. “And if I had anything more to reveal then it would have happened a long time ago. That’s my nature. The truth will set you free.”

Malcolm Jamal-Warner, who was known for his portrayal as Theo Huxtable, struggled to find a role that matched The Cosby Show's success. “People still see me as the kid on the couch,” he previously told a news outlet.

Jamal-Warner also described the sexual assault allegations against Cosby — whom he once considered a mentor— as deeply "painful."

“He’s been very influential and played a big role in my life as a friend and mentor,” Warner told Billboard in 2015. “Just as it’s painful to hear any woman talk about sexual assault, whether true or not, it’s just as painful to watch my friend and mentor go through this.”

Keshia Knight Pulliam and Tempestt Bledsoe, known for playing Rudy and Vanessa on The Cosby Show, each dabbled in entertainment after the series but are now better known for their personal lives.