
Make no doubt about it; It's Keisha's show now.
The Cosby Show' actress is all grown up and definitely ready to take control of her career.
Since starring as Rudy Huxtable -- the youngest Huxtable child -- in the hit NBC sitcom, 'The Cosby Show,' for eight seasons, actress Keisha Knight Pulliam has done a fine job of making diverse career choices.
Pulliam told BlackVoices.com that she is very happy that she took a break from acting to attend historically black women's college, Spelman College , where she graduated in 2001 with a degree in sociology.
"I think that I am very thankful to have had such a long career. It's a blessing and something very special to me. I took a long break after 'Cosby' to go to college and I don't regret that," says Pulliam.
At age six, she became the youngest actress to ever be nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance on 'The Cosby Show.'
And, after graduating from Spelman, she returned to acting and turned up in notable film roles such as Queen Latifah's 'Beauty Shop,' and 'The Gospel.' She also showed herself in a different, more grown-up light, as rapper Chingy's sexy love interest in his 'One Call Away' music video.
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These days Pulliam's is back on the small screen with a leading role on the hit TBS series, 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne,' an experience that she says shares the same camaraderie as 'Cosby.'
"I said, 'Ok, sure I will come in for ten episodes,' and the storyline was so popular," she revealed. "People just loved the Calvin (played by actor Lance Gross) and Miranda story," so much that it led to her taping an additional 26 episodes of the popular sitcom.
Tyler Perry, the show's creator, has been so impressed with Pulliam that he cast her in his upcoming movie, 'Madea Goes to Jail' as Candace "Candy'" Washington a heroin-addicted prostitute who the pistol-packing main character befriends after both women end up in jail. Derek Luke, Sophia Vergara, 'Doubt's' Viola Davis and David and Tamala Mann also star in the movie.
"It was a very different role for me and a lot of hard work because it's a darker role and you have to take yourself there in order for it to be believable," she said.
"I really just tried to get into character," she added. "I don't have any history of drug abuse or prostitution or any of those things, but I did talk to a woman who had been in that situation and recovered from that situation and I really just tried to get into those stories."
"Nobody would cast little Rudy as a prostitute. Nobody would give her the chance," Perry said in a recent interview with BlackVoices.com. "She really wanted to show people that she can act. And she did a great job in the film."
Next up, Pulliam is hoping to continue her transition into becoming not only a respectable adult actor, but very selective about the overall projects that she's involved in.
Now at age 29, she is trying her hand in producing and directing, like her new boss, Perry.
She has created her own production company with her partner Kassem Penn called PullPenn Productions and is in the midst of working on a few television and film projects.
You can see Keisha in 'Madea Goes to Jail,' which hits theaters on Feb 20, 2009 and also on 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne,' airing Wednesdays at 8 PM on TBS.


Comments: (106)
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By: TOWANDA on 1/05/2009 10:35AM
I can't wait to see it. Hurry Madea hurry!
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By: panamerica on 1/05/2009 10:44AM
Way to go Keisha keep ding what you're doing and do not read any of these negatives about you being overweight because you're HOT!!!!!!!! Thumbs up for her guys she has come a long way and like someone said shes has NOT been on drugs OR jail, nothing scandalous. YOU GO GURLL!!!!!! GIVE IT UP FOR KEISHA!!!!!
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By: Darshaya1love on 1/05/2009 10:57AM
To the comment about Keisha needing to lose weight maybe in a Caucasian persons world size 5 is normal but in a African American persons world she is a little under weight she is perfect! Very pretty.
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By: nycspade007 on 1/05/2009 11:24AM
I love you keshia, I loved you since we we're kids I had a very long chrush on you
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By: Kayishat on 1/05/2009 11:26AM
Very good. I am happy for her
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By: sbettyboop84 on 1/05/2009 11:28AM
Keshia will do excellent in Tyler perry's new movie I'm a huge fan of his and her's I loved her on the cosby show til this day I'm still watching the show reruns and all. Tyler made a wonderful choice putting her in madea goes to jail. can't wait to see it.
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By: HELLO GORGEOUS on 1/05/2009 11:47AM
Keisha is an ok actress. Great girl and educated but hasn't proven herself to be a great actress in my opinion in the roles she has. She hasn't made a mark as of yet to be considered a great actress. Anyone can do the roles she has done and the job she has done with them. She's mediocre. Not hating.............just stating. Even in the role of Madea goes to jail. For the little I saw, she doesn't seem to have fit the bill for that role. Sometime Tyler P misses his mark for selecting actress/actors for certain roles. He is in a position where he can go out on a limb and give "no-name" or first time actresses a shot. Instead he continues to stick with familarity and in his position, he can certainly afford to step outside of the box.
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By: Shantel on 1/05/2009 1:08PM
I MUST SEE THIS MOVIE!!!! Tyler has done it again.
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By: Marquis Johnson on 1/05/2009 6:36PM
I thnink she is a pretty womand and is incredily talented. although Bill cosby was incredible on that show, the other actors also made great contributions to that shows success. i wish her very well in her career.
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By: manba1 on 1/05/2009 8:39PM
She has grown into a fine looking young lady and though she was a talented child i'm glad to see she is continuing with her acting career. The odds are against most child actors succeeding into adult acting successfully but i hope she be one of the lucky ones
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