Geoffrey Louis Owens (born March 18, 1961) is an American actor known for his role as Elvin Tibideaux on The Cosby Show (1985–1992). He is the son of the United States Congressman Major Owens.

Early life and education Owens was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Ethel (née Werfel), a music and literature teacher, and Major Owens, a librarian who later went on to serve in the New York State Senate and the United States House of Representatives. He has two brothers and two half-siblings from his father's second marriage. Owens attended the High School of Performing Arts for a year and graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1983.

Career One of Owens's earliest roles was in an Arcata High School theater performance where he played the title role in a performance of Peter Pan. This initial outing was what galvanized him to become an actor later in life.

In 1985, Owens made his television debut on the second season of the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show as Sondra Huxtable's boyfriend Elvin Tibideaux. Tibideaux married Sondra and became a regular character in 1987 and appeared on the series until it ended in 1992. In 1994, he made his film debut as Lou in Ron Howard's film The Paper.

Starting in 2007, Owens appeared as himself on the FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In the season 3 episode "The Gang Gets Invincible" he appears at the Philadelphia Eagles' public tryouts as an actor pretending to be Donovan McNabb doing a plug for McDonald's but the gang recognize him as "that guy from The Cosby Show" who played "Sondra's husband ... ". In the season 7 episode "Frank's Pretty Woman" he plays the same character, this time pretending to be Tiger Woods. Dee, however, recognizes him and calls him out as the guy who pretended to be McNabb at the Eagles' tryouts. He then admits he is not Tiger Woods but then claims to be actor Don Cheadle. That same year, he guest-starred as Eddie's father in the That's So Raven episode "The Way We Were", and appeared on the season premiere of NBC's Las Vegas. In the second episode of Season 15, "The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 7", he appears as the same character, but is given the role to play as Roger Murtaugh in the gang’s Lethal Weapon 7 movie.

In 2009, he appeared alongside Paul Campbell, Andy Griffith, Doris Roberts, Liz Sheridan, Marla Sokoloff and Juliette Jeffers in the romantic comedy Play The Game. In 2010, he appeared on ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager as a court-appointed mediator. He also appeared on the ABC show FlashForward in the episode "The Garden of Forking Paths", playing a researcher.

In 2011, Owens portrayed the role of Casca at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in its Free-For-All production of Julius Caesar. In 2015, he acted in an episode of the NBC drama series The Slap. In 2017, he portrayed an assistant dean on the FOX drama series Lucifer, in an episode entitled "Deceptive Little Parasite".

In 2018, he appeared as a lawyer on season 6 episode 1 of Elementary. That same year, photos of Owens working in a Trader Joe's were published by The Daily Mail, which many characterized as "job shaming." Owens agreed with the "job shaming" characterization, eventually quitting due to the unwanted attention. The story led producer Tyler Perry to offer Owens a ten-episode role in The Haves and the Have Nots.Geoffrey Owens: 'Job-shamed' Cosby Show star lands TV role BBC News. September 7, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2018. Owens also booked a guest-starring role on NCIS: New Orleans and supporting roles in the films Fatale (2020) and Hide and Seek (2021).‘Hide And Seek’: Former ‘Cosby Show’ Star Geoffrey Owens Joins CJ Entertainment Horror Remake In 2024, Owens revealed ongoing career and financial challenges.

In 2019, he starred in the film Impossible Monsters, where he played a police detective. "I’m usually cast as dads, lawyers, doctors, teachers, and so to play a detective it was really fun," he said. In 2020, he played a supporting role in Power Book II: Ghost. In 2025, Owens played the role of Daryl in the Netflix holiday movie A Merry Little Ex-Mas.

Teaching Owens is the founder and artistic director of The Brooklyn Shakespeare Company. He has taught acting and Shakespeare at Columbia University, Yale, Stella Adler Studio of Acting, the Adult School of Montclair and Pace University. In addition to developing his own private Shakespeare workshop, he has been a guest teacher at universities, theaters, studios, and middle and high schools in the New York metropolitan area. He has also served as a judge for the National Shakespeare Competition semi-finals at Lincoln Center for at least 25 years.

Personal life In 1995, Owens married his wife, Josette. Together they have one son.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 The Paper Lou 2009 Play the Game Rob Marcus 2011 Wilde Salomé Tigellinus 2014 Romeo and Juliet Prince Escalus 2016 Youth in Oregon Dr. Roma2019 Impossible Monsters Jacobs2020 Fatale Bill Cranepool 2021 Hide and Seek Lyle 2022 Somewhere in Queens Scotty Susie Searches President Andrews 2023 Ezra Robert Segal 2025 Nonnas Phil A Merry Little Ex-Mas Daryl

Television Year Title Role Notes 1985–92 The Cosby Show Elvin Tibideaux Recurring Cast: Season 2-3, Main Cast: Season 4-8 1990 ABC Afterschool Special Mr. Singer Episode: "Stood Up!" 1997 Built to Last Robert Watkins Main Cast 1999 Law & Order Langer Episode: "Refuge: Part 2" 2002 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Constantino Episode: "Dolls" 2007 That's So Raven Michael Thomas Episode: "The Way They Were" The Wedding Bells Dr. Harris Episode: "The Most Beautiful Girl" Boston Legal Dr. Mitch Morris Episode: "Beauty and the Beast" Las Vegas Dr. Eric Haber Episode: "Shrink Rap" The Journeyman Matthew Tarbell Episode: "The Year of the Rabbit" 2007–21 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Various Roles Guest Cast: Season 3 & 7 & 15 2008 Medium Unemployment Evaluator Recurring Cast: Season 4 I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant Hospital Staff Episode: "Special #1" Without a Trace Jay Costas Episode: "Live to Regret" 2010 FlashForward Dr. Julian Ebbing Episode: "The Garden of Forking Paths" 2010–11 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Mediator/Judge Guest Cast: Season 2-3 2014 The Leftovers Kind Man Episode: "The Prodigal Son Returns" The Affair Victor Episode: "Episode #1.10" 2015 The Slap Dr. Fletcher Episode: "Richie" Deadbeat Arthur Episode: "Table for Sue" 2016 Divorce Gerald Recurring Cast: Season 1 2017 Blue Bloods Sergeant Weller Episode: "Love Lost" Lucifer Assistant Dean Episode: "Deceptive Little Parasite" The Blacklist Dresner Episode: "The Endling (No. 44)" 2018 Elementary Vernon Fisk Episode: "An Infinite Capacity for Taking Pains" NCIS: New Orleans Commander Calvin Atkins Episode: "Pound of Flesh" 2019 Billions Abington Episode: "Maximum Recreational Depth" On Becoming a God in Central Florida Pastor Steve Recurring Cast 2020 Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet Tom Episode: "A Dark Quiet Death" Power Daniel Warren Recurring Cast: Season 6 Bless This Mess Pastor Paul Recurring Cast: Season 2 2020–21 The Haves and the Have Nots Conley Recurring Cast: Season 7-8 2020–22 Power Book II: Ghost Daniel Warren Guest: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2 2021 That Damn Michael Che Thurgood Carver Recurring Cast: Season 1 The Good Fight Daniel Recurring Cast: Season 5 2022 New Amsterdam Chris/Santa Episode: "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" The Rookie Graham Scott Episode: "Coding" Bull Judge Westlake Episode: "Opening Up" 2022–23 All Rise Carl Brewer Recurring Cast: Season 3 2024 Ghosts Gene Episode: “The Polterguest” Poppa's House J. J. Fulton Recurring Cast QueenDom PI Bruno Episode: "Do You Speak Bulgarian?" 2025 The Night Agent Patrick Knox Episode: "A Good Agent" 2026 The Pitt Dr. Clay Barrett Episode: "7:00 P.M."Geoffrey Owens to Guest Star on ‘The Pitt’ Season 2: First Look (EXCLUSIVE)Abbott Elementary Interim Superintendent Derek Collins Episode: "Miami""Abbott Elementary" Miami (TV Episode 2026) - Full cast & crew - IMDb

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