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

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theodore “Theo” Huxtable in blockbuster sitcom The Cosby Show, died on July 20 at the age of 54. According to reports, Warner was on a family vacation in Costa Rica and drowned while swimming.

Born August 18, 1970, Malcolm-Jamal Warner reached an early zenith in his career with an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy at age 16 in 1986. The Cosby Show ran for eight seasons, through 1992, and was the top-rated show in primetime in seasons two through five.

Born in Jersey City on August 18, 1970, Warner debuted on television at age 12 in an episode of the detective drama Matt Houston. Prior to The Cosby Show, he also guest starred in episodes of Fame and Call to Glory, and he hosted an episode of CBS Storybreak in 1984.

During his tenure on The Cosby Show, Warner honed his skills as a director, including music videos N.E. Heart Break from New Edition and rapper Special Ed’s I’m the Magnificent. He directed episodes of many sitcoms, including The Cosby Show, All That, Kenan & Kel and Malcolm & Eddie, which he appeared in opposite comedian Eddie Griffin from 1986 to 1990.

Earlier, and the season following the conclusion of The Cosby Show, he headlined the comedy Here and Now from 1992 to 1993.

Warner was a series regular in three other TV series: Jeremiah (2002 to 2004), a post-apocalyptic drama co-starring Luke Perry; Reed Between the Lines (BET, 2011), in which he played a modern-day psychologist and father alongside Tracee Ellis Ross; and medical drama The Resident (2018 to 2023), where he played Dr. AJ Austin, a certified surgeon in Cardiothoracic, General and Trauma Surgery.

In addition to his work in front of and behind the camera, Warner was a spoken word artist and musician. He released multiple albums that blended poetry, jazz, and funk, including Selfless, Love & Other Social Issues, and Hiding in Plain View. And, in 2015, he won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance, shared with Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway for the song Jesus Children.

More recently, Warner appeared in episodes of dramas 9-1-1 and Alert: Missing Persons Unit. He also launched a podcast with Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley called Not All Hood, which – per the description – provides a provocative look at the vastly different lived experiences and identities of Blacks in America.

Warner is survived by his partner and daughter. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.