Malcolm Jamal Warner's powerful 'last message' leaves fans heartbroken
The late Cosby Show star died aged 54 after drowning on a family holiday in Costa Rica earlier this week with tributes pouring in from across Hollywood from his former colleagues, friends and fans.
He rose to fame for his portrayal of Theo Huxtable, the son of Bill Cosby's character Heathcliff Huxtable, in the sitcom, which ran from 1984 to 1992, ultimately securing him an Emmy nomination aged 16.
In recent years, the screen star has appeared in 911 as Amir Casey and Fox show The Resident as Dr AJ Austin.
He also hosted the podcast Not All Hood, which took 'a provocative look at the vastly different lived experiences and identities of Blacks in America'.
In his last personalised video to his 768k followers just weeks ago, he spoke about finding the joy in life. https://www.instagram.com/p/DJp5yE3NYD5/
The video starts with the father-of-one driving his car on a sunny day in Atlanta with a flower tucked behind his ear after it was given to him by his daughter on her birthday.
He tells the camera: 'I just wanted to spread some love and good cheer. You know, life is out here life-ing for me and for everybody else but just wanted to remind you as I remind myself that no matter what's going on, there's always a reason to smile.
'If you just take a minute to stop, take stock, I guarantee you can find at least one reason to smile. And if for some reason you can't find a reason to smile then that's probably the best time to be the reason for somebody else to smile.
He wrapped up the video by saying 'peace and love and I'll be back soon'.
His caption doubles down on the sweet message, adding: 'Be the reason someone smiles today…. or even tomorrow. Sending love to my IG fam. #blessingsabound.'
'What a guy, such a lovely person. This one really hurts. I loved watching The Cosby Show, I always felt that Malcom was a very gifted, loving person, Rest In Power,' X user @thelifeofakat wrote.
'Oh man, what a wonderful message to leave behind!' @iowakingsfan_tj added.
'We lost a good person. This is a beautiful message,' @jabarnes said.
Over on Instagram, user mscgray shared: 'Heartbroken over this. Thank you for making such an impact on our lives.'
'Thank you for that reminder, Malcolm, and for always giving me lots of laughs back in the day! May you rest in peace always,' jenny_ann_wf echoed.
Several high-profile figures have shared their condolences including Beyonce, who posted a tribute on her website remembering him for 'being a shared part of our television history.' More Trending
Cosby Show co-star Geoffery Owens described Warner as 'a lovely man; a sweet and sensitive soul'.
He continued: 'I respected him for many reasons, including the fact that he genuinely loved the act of creation. 'He had the mind of an actor and the heart of a musician. He was generous, too.'
Other stars such as Tracee Ellis Ross, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jamie Foxx and Bill Cosby also shared messages remembering his legacy.
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