Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the actor known for playing Theodore Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” died in Costa Rica on Sunday. He was 54.
Warner was in Costa Rica on vacation with family when he accidentally drowned while swimming, Costa Rican National Police told ABC News. His official cause of death is asphyxia, according to police.
The actor was swimming near Playa Cocles in Limon province, Costa Rica, on Sunday afternoon when he was caught in a strong current.
At 13-years-old, Warner joined the Cosby show as the only boy in the Huxtable family. He played the role of Theodore “Theo” Huxtable for eight seasons, from 1984 to 1992. In 1986, Warner earned an Emmy nomination for his performance on the sitcom.
“There’s a huge blessing that comes from being apart of a show like ‘The Cosby Show,’ that sets such a high standard of quality — it touched so many people on so many different levels," Warner told Vibe Magazine in 2010.
In addition to his breakout role on “The Cosby Show,” Warner co-starred in his own sitcom, “Malcolm & Eddie,” alongside comedian Eddie Griffin from 1996-2000.
Warner had a regular role on “The Resident,” and dozens of episodes of “The Magic School Bus.” He also spent two seasons on “Reed Between The Lines,” a BET sitcom with Tracee Ellis Ross.
Beyond television, Warner had a handful of movie roles such as “Fool’s Gold” with Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. He earned two Grammy nominations, winning one in 2015 for best traditional R&B performance for his work on the song “Jesus Children.”
Most recently, in 2024, Warner launched a podcast, “Not All Hood,” with Candace Kelley and Weusi Baraka. The podcast aimed to share different experiences and identities of black people living in the United States.
“This is a place where we want to be able to discuss all lanes of the Black community,” he told the “Today” show in June 2024. “This is a place where we can have civil discourse and respectful challenges.”
Warner is survived by a wife and daughter, their identities have been kept private.
Fans react to Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death
Fans of Malcolm-Jamal Warner paid tribute to the late actor on social media. Warner was remembered for making fans laugh, particularly as Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show.”