Hollywood mourns 'The Cosby Show' actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner after his death at age 54, with heartfelt tributes from Tracee Ellis Ross and more Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theo Huxtable on 'The Cosby Show,' has died at 54 in an apparent drowning, Costa Rica authorities say. We are accustomed to knowing too much about the private lives of celebrities, but Malcolm-Jamal Warner had a different idea. American actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Bill Cosby's son Theo on the 1980s groundbreaking television hit “The Cosby Show”, died at age 54 on Monday by drowning, a law enforcement Malcolm-Jamal Warner (August 18, 1970 – July 20, 2025) was an American actor, musician and poet. He rose to prominence for his role as Theodore Huxtable on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992), which earned him a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards. 'The Cosby Show' star Malcolm-Jamal Warner was 'swept away by a current' after he swam out from a Costa Rican beach, authorities have confirmed, leading to his death due to 'asphyxia by submersion'. Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s parents—mother Pamela Warner and father Robert Warner Jr.—shaped his career, but he had no siblings (brothers or sisters) in the family. A career that quietly expanded Malcolm-Jamal Warner did voice work, too. If you ever watched The Magic School Bus, you probably heard him at the beginning and end of each episode. He narrated it. Kids across the U.S. grew up hearing his voice in classrooms, without realizing who it was. Outside of TV, he explored other creative sides. The Cosby Show star Malcom-Jamal Warner was found dead on Sunday July 21 in Costa Rica, the cause being an accidental drowning. He was 54 years old at the time of death. Netizens soon paid tribute to the beloved actor, with user Rilla pointing out that his generation grew up on The Cosby Show. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who died from accidental drowning, is being remembered by celebs including Magic Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross and Raphael Warnock. Malcolm-Jamal Warner wasn’t just an actor. He was family. For Black America, especially those of us who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, Warner was the big brother we saw on TV every Thursday night. As Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, he was a mirror—funny, flawed, smart in his own way, and deeply loved. And through him, we saw ourselves. For anyone who grew up in the eighties, sitting down to watch The Cosby Show was a thing. And one of the main reasons to watch was to see Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner has died at the age of 54, according to reports from People and TMZ. Per People‘s report, Warner passed away after drowning while on a family vacation in Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theo Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," has died at 54, with Bill Cosby reflecting on their relationship and Warner's professionalism on set. Warner experienced ups and downs before his death at age 54 from drowning. Despite his Hollywood success, Malcolm-Jamal Warner experienced personal heartbreak from the death of his former Malcolm-Jamal Warner, known for playing Theo on "The Cosby Show", died at 54 on July 21. Warner drowned while vacationing with family in Costa Rica, pulled out to sea by a rip current. Costa Rican Learning that Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who we all watched grow up on “The Cosby Show” as Theo Huxtable, drowned in a tragic incident. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, died Monday at the age of 54 while on vacation in Costa Rica, according to a statement from his family. Keep up The loss of Malcolm-Jamal Warner is devastating. For millions of us, especially those of us who grew up Black in America during the 1980s, he wasn’t just an actor. Some Lesser Known Facts About Malcolm-Jamal Warner Malcolm-Jamal Warner moved from Jersey City to Los Angeles at the age of five and grew up there.
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