Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner attends the BAFTA Los Angeles TV Tea 2015 awards in California (Photo : Getty Images/Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)
In a recent interview, former "The Cosby Show" star Malcolm-Jamal Warner opened up about the sexual abuse allegations plaguing actor Bill Cosby, saying the assertions have tarnished the legacy built -up by the 80s sitcom show.
Warner is best remembered for his iconic role as Theo Huxtable, the onscreen son of Cosby's character, Heathcliff Huxtable.
The budding director and musician told the Chicago Tribune what concerned him the most regarding the allegations is that in the past, when negative stereotyping took place in relation to people of color, the NBC show served as a platform to debunk fixed ideals about roles for individuals of color.
Warner went on to say that he feels the allegations have taken the gloss off that image and that it no longer exists.He said for the future generations to come, the Huxtables will be only a myth.
"To see that the show doesn't necessarily have the same sheen that it once did, is definitely a downer," Warner told the publication. He said the show which ran from 1984 -1992, became part of the fabric of American culture during that era.
During the interview, Warner indicated that he had been communicating with Cosby during the unraveling of the allegations. He declined to elaborate on his private conversations with Cosby but he said, "It is just a bad situation all around - for him, for his family, the women, their families, the legacy of the show."
The 45-year-old musician is currently promoting his album "Selfless" which comes as a follow up to his Grammy win for his work on "Jesus Children." He told the Seattle Times that he took a time-out from his previous album "Love And Other Social Issues" released in 2007, to focus more deeply on his latest release.
Also, Warner revealed that he is in the midst of filming "American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson," where he plays the role of Simpson's friend A.C. Cowlings. The film is directed by Ryan Murphy and is set to premiere in 2016.
