Phylicia Rashad paid a heartfelt tribute to her on-screen son at a poignant moment during the 2025 Emmys. The esteemed actress graced the stage in Los Angeles on September 14 to introduce the ceremony’s "In Memoriam" segment, which opened with a touching homage to her late co-star from *The Cosby Show*, Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
“He was the cherished teenager in an iconic television series, whom the world watched blossom into manhood,” Rashad began, her voice laced with warmth and reverence. “And like all our dear friends and colleagues who have passed away this past year, Malcolm-Jamal Warner remains forever etched in our hearts.”
“We remember them not just for their extraordinary talent,” she continued, “but also for the way they inspired us to believe in something greater—the very best that resides within us. Even though they are no longer with us, we can smile, knowing that their influence endures, knowing that their lasting impressions will continue to live on through the stories they told, knowing that they touched our lives in ways that will never fade.”
The segment, which featured a stirring duet performance of Vince Gill’s 1995 hit “Go Rest High on That Mountain” by Gill himself and Lainey Wilson, also paid tribute to other luminaries who made indelible marks on the television industry. Among those remembered were Anne Burrell, Michelle Trachtenberg, John Amos, and Ozzy Osbourne.
Days before the ceremony, Warner’s wife, Tenisha Warner—who shares an 8-year-old daughter with him (whose name has not been publicly disclosed)—broke her silence on his untimely passing after he drowned in a rip current in Costa Rica at the age of 54. “Thank you for enveloping us in so much love during this incredibly tender time,” she wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post on September 12. “I can still hear my husband’s laughter, still feel the way he made space for every part of me—every tear, every dream.”
Tenisha also shared her and her daughter’s unwavering commitment to preserving the actor’s legacy, announcing the establishment of The Warner Family Foundation. “Together, we carry forward the legacy my husband and I began,” she wrote, “one that nurtures the inner light of children and gives young artists the freedom to create beyond boundaries. This is love, still moving. Still creating. Still carrying us forward.”
