The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner dies at 54
Warner, who had a successful career in acting, producing and music, recently launched a podcast in 2024.
He is survived by his wife and daughter, whom he kept out of the spotlight.
American actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner has died.
According to the Costa Rica National Police, Warner died of asphyxia while swimming near Cocles in Limón, Costa Rica. The police informed ABC News that a strong current pulled him under the water. His body was discovered and later identified by his family on Sunday afternoon.
The 54-year-old actor was best known for his iconic role as Theo Huxtable, Heathcliff Huxtable's (played by Bill Cosby) son, on NBC's The Cosby Show. This performance earned him a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 1986 Emmy Awards.
After years on the sitcom, Warner played Malcolm in Malcolm & Eddie alongside Eddie Griffin in the mid-nineties and later became an executive producer for the PBS Kids show The Magic School Bus, adding his voice to the show. He also appeared in shows such as Here and Now and hosted CBS Storybreak in 1993 and 1994.
In subsequent years, Warner portrayed Alex Reed in Reed Between the Lines from 2011 to 2015, sharing the screen with Tracee Ellis Ross. His recent television roles included appearances in Major Crimes as Chuck Cooper, Julius Rowe in Suits, and AJ Austin in The Resident.
In June last year, Warner launched a podcast with co-hosts Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley. He described the show as 'a space where he could be his most vulnerable'.
Warner was also a Grammy-winning artist. While his records did not receive nominations, he won Best Traditional R&B Performance for contributing to Robert Glasper's track Jesus Children.
According to People, the actor is survived by his wife and daughter, whose identities he consistently kept private.
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