Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the actor finest recognized for his portrayal of Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Present, has died on the age of 54. Warner unintentionally drowned off the coast of Costa Rica on Sunday, with the official reason for demise listed as asphyxia. In keeping with Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Division (through the Related Press), Warner “drowned Sunday afternoon on a seashore on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. He was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a present pulled him deeper into the ocean.”
Born on August 18, 1970, Warner started his tv profession in 1982 with appearances on the reveals Matt Houston and Fame. In 1984, he was solid as Theodore “Theo” Huxtable, the one son of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, on The Cosby Present. The collection, which adopted the lives of an upper-middle-class Black household dwelling in Brooklyn, grew to become a cultural phenomenon and scored huge rankings for NBC. Earlier than The Cosby Present, tv hardly ever highlighted Black households who weren’t financially struggling; the Huxtables, with dad and mom Cliff (Invoice Cosby) as a profitable obstetrician and Clair (Phylicia Rashad) as an achieved lawyer, introduced a brand new picture that resonated with viewers.
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The actor, who was the primary individual to play Physician Doom on the large display, sadly handed away on July 2, aged 56.
Throughout The Cosby Present‘s eight-season run (from 1984 to 1992), Warner earned an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Theo. Sadly, the enduring collection’ legacy was tarnished lately resulting from sexual assault allegations and the conviction (later overturned on a technicality) in opposition to Cosby. In 2023, Warner shared that he remained pleased with the present’s legacy “and having been part of such an iconic present that had such a profound affect on — at first, Black tradition — but in addition American tradition.”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Profession Past Theo Huxtable
Past The Cosby Present, Warner continued to construct a profession in tv, movie, and music. From 1996 to 2000, he starred alongside Eddie Griffin in Malcolm & Eddie, a sitcom centered on two mismatched finest associates and roommates in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. He additionally starred in and produced Reed Between the Strains from 2011 to 2015. Warner most lately appeared as Dr. AJ Austin, a triple-board licensed surgeon also known as “The Raptor,” within the Fox medical drama The Resident. Initially solid for simply three episodes on the finish of Season 1, he shortly grew to become a fan favourite and was promoted to a collection common from Season 2 by Season 6 (2018-2023).
All through his profession, Warner appeared in visitor roles on a number of fashionable collection, like A Totally different World, The Recent Prince of Bel-Air, Dexter, Key & Peele, Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story: Freak Present, American Crime Story: The Individuals v. O.J. Simpson, Grown-ish, and 9-1-1. Warner was additionally a musician and spoken-word artist, releasing a number of albums all through his profession. He even received a Grammy Award for Finest Conventional R&B Efficiency for his contribution to a canopy of Stevie Marvel’s “Jesus Youngsters of America.”
A number of of Warner’s colleagues have publicly mourned his demise, together with Griffin, who shared on Instagram:
“My coronary heart is heavy proper now. Relaxation straightforward my brother for you have got Received in life and now you have got received without end everlasting bliss..”
Tracee Ellis Ross, who starred alongside Warner on Reed Between the Strains, additionally took to the platform to recollect the late actor. Calling the late actor “heat, light, current, variety, considerate, deep, humorous, elegant.” In keeping with TMZ, Invoice Cosby additionally reacted to the tragic information, stating that Warner’s demise impacted him similar to his personal son’s passing.
Warner is survived by his spouse and daughter.
Sources: AP, TMZ