Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theodore “Theo” Huxtable across all eight seasons of “The Cosby Show,” has passed away in an accidental drowning.
According to reports, the 54-year-old actor was on a family vacation in Costa Rica when he 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.
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.
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.”
Beyond his early success, Warner continued to work in television, music, and directing, leaving a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry.