William Lancelot Bowles III is Phylicia Rashad's Little-known Son (2025)

Phylicia Rashad has become a well-known face in Hollywood for her impressive acting career. And while her daughter has followed in her footsteps, her son, William Lancelot Bowles III, has steered clear of the limelight.

Phylicia plays Michael B Jordan's loving on-screen mother in "Creed" and "Creed II," and is just as loving towards her off-screen children, William and Condola. After graduating from college, Phylicia welcomed William during her first marriage.

Between being a mother, a wife, and an actress, Phylicia made sure she and William spent some mother/son time together, even if it was something simple as making him breakfast every day.

William Lancelot Bowles' Childhood

William was born in 1973 and was named after his father, William Sr., who was a dentist. Phylicia was 24 years old when she had William. A few years prior, she was enrolled at Howard University and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

William was still a little boy when his parents decided to part ways. He lived with his mother after their divorce, and when William was seven, three years after his parents divorced, Phylicia remarried Victor Willis on April 28, 1978. Victor did not stay in William's life for long, as he and Phylicia split in 1980. William was seven.

When William was sixteen, he moved to New York to live with his father. William was thirteen when he became an older brother after Phylicia and Ahmad welcomed their first child together, Condola Rashad. William's younger sister was born in New York City on December 11, 1986.

Despite her popularity and busy schedule as a famous actress, Phylicia said she always tried to make time for her children. She would take Condola with her on the set of "The Cosby Show," and her favorite moments with William were when she would make breakfast in the mornings for him. Phylicia said:

William's mother remarried for the third time to sportscaster and former professional football player Ahmad Rashad in 1985. Ahmad and Phylicia met through her on-screen husband, Bill Cosby, and O.J Simpson served as the best man.

William was 12 when he attended the wedding with his grandmother, although, according to his mother, he wanted to be the one to walk her down the aisle and give her away.

Phylicia and Ahmad Rashad with their daughter Condola Rashad at the NBC Affiliates Party on June 2, 1987, in California | Source: Getty Images

William Is a Very Private Person

Unlike his mother and sister, William did not become an actor. But a 2001 article did reveal that William became a production coordinator and resides in Los Angeles.

His family respects his choice to stay out of the spotlight, and he does not feature on their social media. Phylicia has not spoken about William publicly or in interviews over the years but is still close to her son.

William Lancelot Bowles III Has a Younger Sister

William's mother is not the only creatively gifted woman in his family. His grandmother, Vivian Ayers, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her poem "Hawk" in 1952. William's sister said:

His aunt, Debbie Allen, is an executive producer of "Grey's Anatomy," and plays the role of Catherine Fox in the medical series. In 2021, Phylicia took to social media to wish her baby sister a baby birthday, where Phylicia and Debbie exchanged words of love.

Wiliam's younger sister had earned Tony nominations for her roles on broadway and dipped her toes into the music industry when she released an E.P.

Condola accredited her creative passion to her mother. In 2020, she celebrated Phylicia on Mother's Day. Condola wrote in an Instagram post that she had looked up to her mother her entire life.

Phylicia Rashad's life and acting career not only inspired her daughter but other actors as well. But no matter how busy she became as a famous actress, she always maintained a close bond with Condola and William.