Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Star of The Cosby Show, Dies at 54
According to CinemaDrame news agency, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died at the age of 54. According to ABC News, Warner drowned on Sunday near Cocles Beach in the Limón province on Costa Rica’s Atlantic coast.
Warner starred in the family sitcom The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992, and later appeared alongside Eddie Griffin in the series Malcolm & Eddie from 1996 to 2000. In recent years, he had roles in shows like Sons of Anarchy, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, and The Resident.
Born August 18, 1970, in New Jersey, Warner auditioned for the role of Theo—the only son of Cliff Huxtable, played by Bill Cosby—at age 13 on the final day of a nationwide casting search. He reprised the role in A Different World from 1988 to 1989. Warner was last seen on screen in the series 9-1-1 in 2023.
Yahoo reported that Warner had spoken on Melissa Ford’s podcast about how his anonymous wife often criticized him for distancing himself from the role of Theo. “I always wanted to separate the two… There’s even this narrative that I hate Theo,” he said, adding, “I will always be more Malcolm than Theo. Though for some people, I’ll forever be Theo—and I can’t stop that.”
Warner was in a relationship with his Cosby Show co-star Michelle Thomas until 1994. Thomas played Justine, Theo’s girlfriend on the show. Warner was by her side when she passed away in 1998 from a rare form of cancer.
In later years, Warner made appearances in comedies like Community and Key & Peele, and starred in the 2011 BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines. In addition to acting, he was a musician and released his debut album The Miles Long Mixtape in 2003. The track Jesus Children, a collaboration with Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway, won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance.
Eddie Griffin honored him on Instagram, calling Warner his “little big brother” and paying tribute to his memory.
