Keshia Knight Pulliam was just 4 years old when she was cast as the adorable Rudy Huxtable however; she was already an established actress, having appeared on Sesame Street at the tender age of 3. During her Cosby Show tenure, she also found time to star in the feature film The Last Dragon and several made-for-TV projects, including The Little Match Girl, Polly and Polly: Comin' Home (updates of the classic Pollyanna story), and A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court in addition to making a few guest appearances on A Different World.

In recent years, Pulliam has concentrated on her studies. She is a 2001 graduate of Atlanta's Spellman College, where she earned a degree in sociology. In November 2001, she was the winner of a special former-child-star edition of The Weakest Link (trouncing worthy opponents Jerry Mathers, Danica McKellar, and Tina Yothers). Her winnings benefited the Bonner Foundation, a group that funds scholarships and anti-hunger programs.