Hollywood is mourning the loss of an unforgettable star.
Malcolm–Jamal Warner—the actor who rose to prominence with his role as Theodore Huxtable on The Cosby Show, kickstarting a decades-long career in the industry—hasdied after an accidental drowning, police confirmed. He was 54.
Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department shared in a statement obtained by E! News that Warner drowned July 20 on a beach on the Caribbean coast. According to authorities, he was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the water.
Warner was later rescued by people on the beach, the department’s report noted, but had no vital signs.
E! News has reached out to Warner’s reps for additional comment.
After landing his breakout role on The Cosby Show in 1984, the New Jersey native earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1986. From there, he went on to star in various beloved shows over the course of his career including Malcolm & Eddie, Reed Between the Lines , 9-1-1 and The Resident.
Throughout his storied career, Warner opened up about moving past his role as Theo in the NBC sitcom, noting his presence went beyond the show’s eight year-run.
“People kind of have a misconception, because when someone calls me Theo and I correct them and say, no, my name is Malcolm, they think I have an attitude about it,” he told NPR in 2014, “and I don’t want to be associated with the show. It’s like, no. I will forever be associated with that show, but my name is Malcolm.”
Warner also went on to share his passion for his roles, which extended to theater as well.
“I love the character development process,” he shared at the time. “When you’re working on television and film, you don’t really have time. Rehearsal is a luxury. In theater, rehearsal is a necessity. I just thought of that. That’s probably the most concise way I could put it.”
Warner would also reflect on the legacy of The Cosby Show in 2023, noting that though legal troubles plagued star Bill Cosby—who was sentenced to prison time in his sexual assault case in 2018—the series was still one he and the cast were “all still very proud of.”
“We share a unique experience that keeps us lovingly bonded,” he told People at the time, “no matter how much time goes between seeing or hearing from each other.”
“Regardless of how some people may feel about the show now,” he continued. “I’m still proud of the legacy and having been a part of such an iconic show that had such a profound impact on—first and foremost, Black culture—but also American culture.”
Most recently, he landed a role as Chief Inspector Bill Houston in Alert: Missing Persons Unit, one that he was more than thrilled to take on.
“Bill Houston is the father that the MPU team didn’t know they needed,” Warner told TV Insider in April. “Bill is definitely understanding, he’s definitely experienced, and one of the things I really like about him is he’s really no-nonsense.”
As the actor noted, “He gets straight to the point because normally, especially in these missing persons cases, you don’t really have a lot of time to mess around, so time is of the essence and Bill understands that. And because he’s good with people, he can get his point across and motivate people to get moving.”
“There is a switch that Bill has to make,” he continued, “which I love because we get to see these two sides of him and we still get to see their personal feelings involved and he wants to still give everyone the benefit of the doubt.”
Warner also made his way to the podcasting space in most recent years with Not All Hood, a show which was launched with the focus on discussing issues surrounding the Black community today. Prior to his passing, Warner—who is survived by his daughter—shared his stance on creating a project close to his heart.
“It’s not just that I was on this insanely popular tv show, but that it had such an impact on Black America and I’ve always carried that understanding with me,” he told Forbes in 2024. “I think that’s why I tend to be as vocal as I’ve always been about my experiences and about how I feel about Black culture.”
Keep reading for a look at his life in photos…
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