Malcolm-Jamal Warner, ‘Cosby Show’ Star, Dies at 54

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theodore “Theo” Huxtable across all eight seasons of “The Cosby Show,” has died in an accidental drowning, according to reports. He was 54.

Per ABC News, Warner was on a family vacation in Costa Rica and drowned while swimming after he was caught by a high current. He died of asphyxia near Cocles, a beach in the city of Limon, and his body was identified by Costa Rica’s national police on Sunday.

Representatives for Warner declined to comment.

Warner was a beloved fixture of 1980s television. He was nominated for the Emmy for best supporting actor in a comedy for his performance on “The Cosby Show,” on which he played the only son of Bill Cosby’s character, Cliff Huxtable. Warner was a teenager throughout much of his tenure on the NBC sitcom. His character was an early fan favorite, as audiences watched Theo learn life’s ropes in real time — in one episode, Theo figures out the importance of budgets when his family removes his belongings from his room — and makes him learn how to “buy” it all back.

After “The Cosby Show,” a grown-up Warner played Malcolm McGee on the sitcom “Malcolm & Eddie,” which ran for four seasons on UPN. He starred opposite Eddie Griffin, who played the other title character. From 2011 to 2015, Warner led the BET sitcom “Reed Between the Lines,” and he also played Sticky on FX’s motorcycle drama “Sons of Anarchy.” From 2018 to 2023, he played AJ Austin on “The Resident.”

Born in New Jersey, Warner had an early interest in acting, causing his parents to enroll him in a performing arts school in New York City. He auditioned for the role of Theo Huxtable on the last day of NBC’s nationwide search, and he was selected by Cosby himself.

In his late teens, Warner began directing music videos for acts like New Edition and Special Ed. He then went on to helm episodes of “The Cosby Show,” “All That,” “Kenan & Kel” and “Malcolm & Eddie.” He also directed the widely circulated 1992 educational video “Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You,” which featured celebrities Arsenio Hall and Earvin “Magic” Johnson discussing the disease and how to prevent its spread. He also won a Grammy as a featured artist on the song “Jesus Children” alongside Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway.

Warner’s acting roles also included Showtime’s post-apocalyptic drama “Jeremiah,” as well as “9-1-1,” “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” and “Suits.” He also played Al Cowlings on the limited series “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” and had guest spots on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Grown-ish” and “Community.” He also lent his voice to the Producer character on PBS Kids’ “The Magic School Bus,” which he also executive produced.

Most recently, Warner launched a podcast with Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley called “Not All Hood,” in which the co-hosts discussed Black masculinity, mental health and media representation.

Warner is survived by his wife and daughter.

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

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