Malcolm-Jamal Warner died at the age of 54 in what has been reported as an accidental drowning while on vacation with his family in Costa Rica. He was a longtime Hollywood actor, first rocketing to fame by playing Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” for eight seasons; he won an Emmy in 1986 for the role. He stayed a part of the entertainment scene; along with his acting and directing work, he was also a talented, Grammy award-winning poet, and the frontman for the jazz funk band Miles Long. He was a fantastic performer and person, and he was dearly loved as is clear from the outpouring of support and sorrow from his former coworkers and friends.
A few years after “The Cosby Show,” Warner co-starred on “Malcolm & Eddie” with Eddie Griffin. After the news of Warner’s death, Griffin included photos of Warner on his Instagram Stories, one of which included the simple caption, “my big little brother” accompanied by prayer hands and a heart.
Another of Warner’s major parts was six seasons as Dr. AJ Austin on Fox’s “The Resident.” Morris Chestnut, who played Dr. Barrett Cain on the show, posted photos of them together on set. He wrote, “He brought so much depth, warmth, and wisdom to every scene and every conversation. One of the nicest in the business. Rest easy, brother. Your legacy lives on.” Even for those who didn’t work with Warner for a long time saw his caring spirit. Ashley Jones worked on “The Resident” for one episode, and she posted, “I was a big fan, but you were a friend. You were the real deal. Talked about your wife and daughter, your music, your poetry. We talked about my son and some hard life stuff I was going through…you were inspiring.”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner had an impact on many in Hollywood
You might not know that Tracee Ellis Ross played Malcolm Jamal-Warner’s wife for one season of the BET sitcom “Reed Between the Lines,” and she also raved about how delightful Warner was to work with in her response to Warner’s untimely passing. She posted photos of the two of them together from their promotion of the show on Instagram, and included the caption: “I love you, Malcolm. First, I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband. My heart is so, so sad. What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant. You made the world a brighter place.”
There were others who also paid tribute to Warner’s first big role on “The Cosby Show.” Niecy Nash-Betts seemed in shock to find out about Warner’s death. “My God, we just spoke,” she wrote on Instagram. “You were giving me my flowers for my work in Grotesquerie and we talked about how happy we both were in our marriages. Damn friend. You were [the] cornerstone of “The Cosby Show.” We all loved Theo!”
Other shoutouts to the impact of Warner’s work and the sorrow over his death came from Marlee Matlin and comedian Loni Love. Tyrese Gibson penned a beautiful poem on X (formerly known as Twitter) in Warner’s honor, and responding in the form of hearts, broken and otherwise, and other emojis were Ricki Lake, Mario Lopez, Jennie Garth, Patti LaBelle, Tyson Beckford, and more.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was remembered for his warm spirit
Beyond the condolence posts from Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s coworkers and friends, messages came in from a range of organizations, helping showcase the depth of work in Warner’s long career. Fox Entertainment released a statement, saying, “While his iconic roles – from comedic to dramatic – are unforgettable and timeless, Malcolm will be remembered most for his warmth, kind heart and the lasting impact he had on his friends, family and fans everywhere,” via X (formerly known as Twitter).
The NAACP posted on their X page with the news of Warner’s death: “#RestinPower to NAACP Image Award-winning actor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Your talent and spirit touched many lives, and your legacy will continue to inspire. Thank you for the memories and the impact you made in the world of entertainment.” Warner won an NAACP Key of Life Image Award for his film “Time Out: The Truth about HIV, AIDS, and You,” a 1992 documentary, and an NAACP Theater Award for best supporting actor for his role in the off-Broadway show “Cryin’ Shame.” Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. was one of the hosts of Warner’s HIV / AIDS documentary, and he included a post on X in response to Warner’s death that read in part: “Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life, and business. He will truly be missed.”
Warner left behind a wife and a daughter, but we haven’t yet heard a response from them at this tragic time. Our condolences go out to them and all those mourning Warner’s unexpected death.
