Malcolm-Jamal Warner, ‘Cosby Show’ icon, dies at 54 in Costa Rica
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theo on “The Cosby Show,” drowned off Costa Rica at age 54.
Bill Cosby is paying tribute to his TV son Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
Warner, who starred alongside Cosby on the beloved family sitcom “The Cosby Show,” reportedly died on Sunday, July 20, following an accidental drowning off the coast of Costa Rica, according to ABC News and The Associated Press. Costa Rican National Police confirmed to ABC News that Warner died after being caught by a high current in the water while swimming near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica.
Warner was 54 at the time of his death. USA TODAY reached out to the late actor’s representatives for comment.
Warner played Theo Huxtable opposite Cosby’s Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable for eight seasons on the iconic NBC series, which earned Warner a Primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy. In an interview with ABC News published Monday, July 21, Cosby reflected on his relationship with Warner.
“He was always a great studier, and I enjoyed working with him very much,” Cosby, 88, told the outlet. “He always knew his part. … He always knew his lines, and he always knew where to go.”
Warner was a 5-foot-5-inch, 13-year-old and “literally the last person” to audition for the role of Theo for “The Cosby Show,” following a nationwide search, he told NPR in 2014. Show producers were looking for a taller Theo. However, Warner’s audition, overseen by creator and star Cosby, led to the successful casting as the only son and middle child of five children in the famed TV family.
Bill Cosby recalls final conversation with Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Cosby, who served nearly three years in prison following a 2018 conviction on sexual assault charges, told ABC News he kept in touch with Warner over the years, adding, “Malcolm calls here regularly.”
The disgraced actor-comedian last spoke to Warner three weeks before his death, Cosby’s representative Andrew Wyatt confirmed to USA TODAY. Wyatt said Cosby caught up with an ecstatic Warner following a musical performance in Minneapolis (Warner also dabbled in music and poetry, winning a Grammy Award for best traditional R&B performance in 2015.)
Additionally, Wyatt said Warner’s tragic death reminded Cosby of the 1997 death of his son, Ennis Cosby. Ennis, who was 27 at the time, was murdered near Interstate 405 in Los Angeles after being shot in the head by 18-year-old Mikhail Markhasev in a failed robbery attempt.
Aside from his starring role on “The Cosby Show,” Warner was also known for his performances as Malcolm McGee in the 1990s UPN sitcom “Malcolm & Eddie” and as Dr. AJ Austin on the Fox medical drama “The Resident” from 2018 to 2023.
Per Wyatt, Cosby said Warner’s body of work as a performer will maintain his legacy and “continue to humanize” him to fans.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Bryan Alexander and Maria Puente, USA TODAY
