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\nPhylicia Rashad honored TV son Malcolm-Jamal Warner\u00a0at the 77th annual Primetime Emmy AwardsPresented alongside a heartfelt performance from Lainey Wilson & Vince Gill, the Emmys 2025 ceremony paid tribute to many of TV’s brightest stars who have died this year including WarnerThe 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards are being broadcast live on CBS and Paramount+ from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles<\/p>\n
Some of TV’s brightest stars were remembered during the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Taking a pause from celebration amid the Nate Bargatze<\/a>-hosted gathering on Sunday, Sept. 14, the Television Academy honored talent who died ahead of the 2025 ceremony as part of its “In Memoriam” segment.\n<\/p>\n Phylicia Rashad<\/a> took the stage to honor her Cosby Show TV son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner<\/a>, with a heartfelt tribute nearly two months after his death.\n<\/p>\n From left: Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Theodore ‘Theo’ Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable on ‘The Cosby Show’.<\/p>\n NBCU Photo Bank\/NBCUniversal via Getty<\/p>\n “He was a beloved teenager in an iconic television series with a world-watched role. And like all our friends and colleagues who transitioned this past year, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, remains in our hearts,\u201d she shared.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cTonight, as is tradition at the Emmys, we remember them, not just for their immense talent, but also for the way they’ve made us believe in something bigger, the best that is within us,\u201d she continued. \u201cAnd even though they may no longer be here with us, we can all smile knowing that their impact will remain, knowing that their lasting impressions will continue to live on through story, knowing that they touched our lives.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cWhether you grew up watching them or have just now discovered their brilliance, their life remains in the very fabric of our industry,\u201d she concluded.\n<\/p>\n From left: Felicia Rashaad and Malcolm-Jamal Warner attend TV Land and Nick At Nite’s launch of ‘Family Table’ pro-social campaign at Tony Di Napoli’s November 19, 2003 in New York City.<\/p>\n Matthew Peyton\/Getty<\/p>\n The segment also included an emotional performance from Lainey Wilson<\/a> and Vince Gill <\/a>to Gill\u2019s ballad \u201cGo Rest High on That Mountain.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Teri Garr<\/a>, Ozzy Osbourne<\/a>, Loni Anderson<\/a>, Chuck Woolery<\/a>, Anne Burrell<\/a>, Wink Martindale<\/a>, George Wendt<\/a>, Richard Chamberlain<\/a> and Michelle Trachtenberg<\/a>\u00a0were among the stars honored.\n<\/p>\n Other stars the segment paid tribute to included John Amos<\/a>, Maggie Smith<\/a>, David Lynch<\/a>, Linda Lavin<\/a> and\u00a0 Quincy Jones<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Among the biggest deaths to occur in 2025 was Warner, who died in July<\/a> at age 54. PEOPLE confirmed that the Cosby Show alum was in Costa Rica on a family vacation. He had drowned while swimming.\n<\/p>\n “Needless to say our hearts are heavy with the loss of Malcolm<\/a>,” his mother, Pamela Warner, shared on Instagram, calling her son “a kind, loving man with a huge heart for humanity.”\n<\/p>\n “Malcolm left an indelible mark on the world and on countless hearts,” she added. “All who met him, however briefly, were better for the encounter.”\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Malcolm-Jamal Warner visits SiriusXM Studios on June 11, 2024 in New York City.<\/p>\n Santiago Felipe\/Getty\u00a0<\/p>\n Keshia Knight Pulliam<\/a> also remembered her late The Cosby Show costar in an emotional Instagram post<\/a> following his tragic death.\n<\/p>\n \u201cA week ago I lost my big brother, but I gained an angel\u2026,\u201d the actress wrote in the caption. \u201cI love you\u2026 I miss you\u2026 We got our girls, \u2764\ufe0f\u201d referring to Warner\u2019s wife and daughter<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Alongside her message, Knight Pulliam posted a clip of Warner playing bass guitar onstage in front of a crowd at the City Winery in Atlanta. In a brief clip that followed, two young girls, who appeared to be the pair\u2019s daughters, were seen walking with a horse on a farm.\n<\/p>\n Knight Pulliam added on her Instagram Stories<\/a>, \u201cThank you for every text call and all of the love that you have sent my way … I’ve just needed a moment… \u2764\ufe0f.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n