TORONTO — Malcolm-Jamal Warner says it hurts to see his TV dad Bill Cosby facing allegations of sexual assault.
“Just as it’s painful to hear any woman talk about sexual assault, whether true or not, it’s just as painful to watch my friend and mentor go through this,” said Warner, who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, in an interview with Billboard.
“He’s one of my mentors, and he’s been very influential and played a big role in my life as a friend and mentor.”
Cosby has been accused by more than a dozen women of sexual assaults going back decades. He has not spoken publicly about the claims but, through his lawyer, has denied them.
The 77-year-old has not been charged with a crime.
Warner, 44, declined to speak about the allegations “because obviously, I was not there.”
Instead, he focused on the good Cosby has done.
“The Bill Cosby I know has been great to me and great for a lot of people,” the actor said. “What he’s done for comedy and television has been legendary and history-making. What he’s done for the black community and education has been invaluable.
“That’s the Bill Cosby I know. I can’t speak on the other stuff.”
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