Keshia Knight Pulliam

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Family name hatnote Template:Infobox person Keshia Knight Pulliam (born April 9, 1979)<ref name=filmref/> is an American actress. She began her career as a child actress. She landed her breakthrough role as Rudy Huxtable, on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992), and became the youngest person to be nominated for an Emmy Award,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> when she earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in A Comedy Series at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards. She later reprised the character on the spin-off series A Different World (1987–88). Knight Pulliam is also known for her portrayal of Miranda Lucas-Payne on the TBS comedy drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne (2007–present).

Career

Knight Pulliam made her professional debut at 9 months old, in a national print advertisement for Johnson & Johnson baby products.<ref name=officialbio/> At age 3, she appeared on Sesame Street.<ref name=tvg /> In 1984, she was cast as Rudy Huxtable on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, a role she played until the series ended in 1992. In 1986, Knight Pulliam became one of the youngest actresses to be nominated for an Emmy Award,<ref name=tvg /> receiving a nomination at age 6 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in A Comedy Series. She continued working, appearing in television commercials and TV shows, and making her feature film debut<ref name=tvg /> in The Last Dragon (1985).<ref name=officialbio /> She also appeared in the movies Polly and its sequel Polly: Comin' Home! with her Cosby Show co-star Phylicia Rashad. She is ranked at No. 27 in VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid Stars".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Knight Pulliam won a celebrity version of Fear Factor in September 2002. She also won a celebrity version of The Weakest Link, and participated in Celebrity Mole: Yucatan. In 2004, she appeared in Chingy's music video for "One Call Away". In 2005, she played Darnelle in Beauty Shop with Queen Latifah. Knight Pulliam performed in Donald Gray's play The Man of Her Dreams in the fall of 2006 in St. Louis.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> In 2008, she joined the cast of Tyler Perry's House of Payne as Miranda, the new wife of Calvin Payne. The role earned her the 2009 and 2010 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. In 2009, she played Candace "Candy" Washington-Collins in the film Madea Goes to Jail.<ref>Keshia Knight Pulliam: The Madea Goes to Jail Interview with Kam Williams Kam Williams.com</ref> Knight Pulliam appeared in Tank's 2010 music video for his cover of "I Can't Make You Love Me", playing his love interest.

In 2011, commenting on the fact that only white actors had won Golden Globe Awards that year, she said: "I think that there is definitely work to be done. It can always be more diverse. We live in a very multicultural and global society. More needs to be done to increase the representation of all people and really show the world for what it is. It’s not just one color."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2013, she was a contestant on the ABC celebrity diving show Splash. She was first to be eliminated. In 2015, Knight Pulliam was a contestant on the NBC show The Celebrity Apprentice Season 7 and was the first contestant eliminated after being the losing project manager for her team. In 2018, Knight Pulliam was a HouseGuest on the first season of the CBS series Celebrity Big Brother, where she was the second person evicted out of the house, on Day 13.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Keshia Knight Pulliam was born in Newark, New Jersey on April 9, 1979, the daughter of Denise and James Knight Pulliam Sr., a manager.<ref name="filmref">Template:Cite web</ref> She has three brothers, James Knight Pulliam II, Mshon Knight Pulliam, and Juwan Pulliam.<ref name=tvg>Template:Cite web</ref> Knight Pulliam attended Rutgers Preparatory School in Somerset, New Jersey.

When The Cosby Show ended its run in 1992, her family moved to Virginia, where Knight Pulliam attended the Potomac School in McLean and Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia, from which she graduated in 1997.Template:Citation needed<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Spelman College in 2001.<ref name=officialbio /> She is a member of the Eta Kappa chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.<ref name=officialbio />

On December 31, 2015, Knight Pulliam became engaged to retired National Football League player Edgerton Hartwell.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They were married the next day, January 1, 2016, in Knight Pulliam's Atlanta home.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On July 25, 2016, Hartwell filed for divorce.<ref>Martin, Annie. "Keshia Knight Pulliam headed for divorce after pregnancy news: The actress and Ed Hartwell married in January after four months of dating". United Press International. July 26, 2016.</ref> On January 23, 2017, Knight Pulliam gave birth to a daughter named Ella Grace Hartwell.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The divorce was finalized in April 2018, with Knight Pulliam receiving primary custody of Ella while Hartwell was ordered to pay child support of about $3,000 a month.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In December 2020, she became engaged to actor Brad James. They began dating in 2019 after they met on the set of the television movie Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They were married in an intimate ceremony in September 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In December 2022, it was announced Knight Pulliam was pregnant with her second child and her first with James.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On April 4, 2023, she gave birth to a son named Knight James.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Template:Sortname Sophia/Natasha Green
Back to Next Saturday Rudy Huxtable TV movie
1987 Template:Sortname Molly
1989 Template:Sortname Polly
Template:Sortname Karen
1990 Polly: Comin' Home! Polly
2002 What About Your Friends: Weekend Getaway Temple
2004 Template:Sortname Letrice Video
Christmas at Water's Edge Leila Turner TV movie
2005 Beauty Shop Darnelle
Template:Sortname Maya Walker
2008 Cuttin Da Mustard Wendy
Death Toll Mirie
2009 Madea Goes to Jail Candace Washington
2013 Template:Sortname Parker TV movie
2015 Will to Love Rachel Paris
2018 Jingle Belle Tori
2019 Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta Caroline
Radio Christmas Kara Porter
2020 My Brother's Keeper Tiffany
Tempted By Danger Angela Brooks TV movie
Template:Sortname Rebecca
2021 Redeemed Angela Sylvester
2022 Template:Sortname Grace Hill TV movie
2023 Template:Sortname Bethany
2025 Wife Stalker Joanna Lifetime movie

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1983–88 Sesame Street Herself Recurring Guest
1984–92 Template:Sortname Rudy Huxtable Main Cast
1987–88 Template:Sortname Rudy Huxtable Recurring Cast: Season 1
1990 Reading Rainbow Herself (voice) Episode: "The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth"
1993 Template:Sortname Herself/Guest Host Episode: "Episode #6.17"
1997 Template:Sortname Guitarist Episode: "The Return of Charlites"
2001 Template:Sortname Herself Episode: "TV Child Stars Edition"
2002 Fear Factor Episode: "Celebrity Fear Factor 3"
2004 Template:Sortname Herself/Contestant Contestant: Season 4
2005 Template:Sortname Herself Episode: "100 Greatest Kid Stars"
2007–09 Whatever Happened To? Episode: "Little Sisters" & "Middle Sibbles"
2007–12, 2020–
present 		Tyler Perry's House of Payne Miranda Lucas Payne Main Cast
2009 Played by Fame Herself Episode: "Eco Friend Date"
2010 Psych Stranjay Episode: "The Polarizing Express"
2011 Celebrity Ghost Stories Herself Episode: "Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ming-Na, Chi McBride, Mia Tyler"
Hollywood Icons and Innovators Episode: "Episode #1.3"
2012 Template:Sortname Episode: "All Pomp But No Circumstance"
Mr. Box Office Vanessa Owens Episode: "Pilot"
2013 Template:Sortname Herself/Contestant Main Cast
Guys with Kids Bridget Episode: "Divorce Party"
2015 Template:Sortname Herself/Contestant Contestant: Season 14
2018 Template:Sortname Herself/Contestant Contestant: Season 1
2019 BET Her Presents: The Waiting Room Dr. Bennett Episode: "The Waiting Room"
2021 Down to Business Herself Episode: "Various Artists"
2022 Uncensored Episode: "Keshia Knight Pulliam"
Template:Sortname Herself/Host Main Host: Season 15

Music videos

Year Title Artist
2004 "Template:Sortname" Template:Sortname featuring J-Weav
2007 "Template:Sortname" Template:Sortname
2010 "I Can't Make You Love Me" Tank

Awards and nominations

References

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