‘Cosby Show’ star Geoffrey Owens donates Nicki Minaj’s $25K to charity
Nicki Minaj finally made good on her promise to send former “Cosby Show” actor Geoffrey Owens $25,000 — and he immediately paid it forward, TMZ reported Tuesday.
“I would like to give this donation of 25K to the Actors Fund in memory of the late, great Earle Hyman — who played Cosby’s father, Russell, on ‘The Cosby Show’ — who lived his last many years and died at the Actors’ Home, (funded and run by the Actors Fund). I am extremely grateful to Nicki Minaj for enabling struggling actors to continue pursuing their dreams,” Owens, 57, told the site.
Minaj, 35, told TMZ in a statement, “I’m happy to be a part of a great cause. I wish Geoffrey much success and want him to know how loved he is. Rest in Peace to Earle Hyman.”
“Bravo and Brava! Thank you to Geoffrey Owens for paying forward his gift from Nicki Minaj and making a very generous donation of $25,000 to our work,” Brian Stokes Mitchell, Chairman of The Actors Fund, said in a statement. “I’m greatly humbled and truly inspired that Geoffrey and Nicki would take action to help their colleagues when they need it most. This donation will help us provide essential programs and services to thousands of entertainment and performing arts professionals in need across the country every year. It will help us continue to provide supportive services including The Actors Fund Home, a skilled nursing, assisted living and short-stay rehabilitation facility for professionals who, like the great actor Earle Hyman, have dedicated their lives to the arts — and where we will be dedicating a room in Earle’s honor thanks to this gift. It will also help support our ongoing social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, affordable housing, and secondary employment and training services. The staff of The Actors Fund take great pride in fostering stability and resiliency in the lives of everyone in performing arts and entertainment, and providing a safety net for them in times of need. We thank you, Geoffrey and Nicki.”
Owens became a viral sensation after it was revealed he was working at a Clifton, N.J., Trader Joe’s to make ends meet, largely because he was no longer receiving residuals after Bill Cosby‘s sexual assault conviction led to reruns of the hit series being pulled.
The actor had relatively consistent work since “The Cosby Show” ended, both onscreen and off.
“I’ve been teaching acting directing for 30-plus years, but it got to a point where it just didn’t add up enough and you gotta do what you gotta do,” Owens said on “Good Morning America” earlier this month. “I wanted a job where I could have some flexibility, try to stay in the business.”
Owens will be gainfully employed as an actor once more since his retail reveal: Tyler Perry offered him a job on “The Haves and Have Nots,” which he accepted, and will appear on “CSI: New Orleans.”
It couldn’t have come at a better time: Owens’ good news came the same day that Cosby was sentenced to prison for sexual assault for drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004.
