HBO Max has a number of hit shows in its catalog, including A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Hacks, The Last of Us, and Industry, to name a few. As big as those shows are, there’s one undisputed number 1 show on the roster, and that series is not only building up its lead in a new season, but it has also just completed a fan-favorite actor’s epic comeback arc.
HBO Max’s no. 1 hit show The Pitt has added The Cosby Show star Geoffrey Owens in a guest star role during season 2 (via Variety). Owens will be playing the role of cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr. Clay Barrett, and he will be appearing in season 2’s episode 13, which will air on April 2nd. Owens famously played the role of Elvin Tibideaux in The Cosby Show, and it’s awesome to see him appearing in one of 2026’s hottest shows, though it’s all part of a much bigger story.
Geoffrey Owens’ Comeback Story, Explained
Owens is most famous for playing Elvin in The Cosby Show, and the character would appear in 128 episodes over the course of the series. Elvin was the husband of the Huxtable’s oldest daughter, Sondra, and along with their two children, they would play a role in the Huxtable family’s ongoing adventures. Elvin initially made waves as a character thanks to conflicts with Cliff and Claire over his dated and misogynistic ideals, but over time, the character would evolve and grow to become a beloved member of the family.
After The Cosby Show ended, Owens would go on to have sporadic roles in a number of television projects like Law & Order, That’s So Raven, Boston Legal, Las Vegas, Without a Trace, The Leftovers, Blue Bloods, and more. Then, in 2018, photos of Owens working at Trader Joe’s went viral, and Owens’ humble response endeared him to his acting peers and fans around the world.
Owens revealed that he actually left Trader Joe’s after he saw people filming him, as he didn’t want the scrutiny or wave of attention it would bring, but in a 2024 interview, Owens revealed it wasn’t because of some of the projects he would take on after leaving.
In an interview with V-103, Owens said, “It was strange because someone had been in the store taking pictures… And I was like, well, now that this is breaking, I’m not going to feel comfortable working in this store, wondering who’s around with a camera. It’s gonna be just too weird. I’m a very private person.” Owens would then add, “It wasn’t like I quit knowing I would be making a lot of money soon or anything. I just felt like I wasn’t going to be able to handle that kind of scrutiny, that kind of attack on my privacy.”
Owens would receive support from Tyler Perry and Nicki Minaj shortly after going viral, and from 2020 to 2024, Owens would appear in shows like Power, Poppa’s House, Nonnas, and A Merry Little Ex-Mas, but he’s also said that he’s gone back to Trader Joe’s to ask for more hours, calling it a “wonderful place to work”.
Now Owens is joining one of the industry’s hottest shows, so while he very well might work some shifts at Trader Joe’s as well, this has completed an epic comeback arc for Owens, and hopefully that comeback tour isn’t ending anytime soon.
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