Bill Cosby remembers Malcolm-Jamal Warner after actor’s tragic death

Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the iconic NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, has died at the age of 54. According to Costa Rican authorities, Warner drowned on Sunday while swimming off the Caribbean coast during a family vacation. He was reportedly caught in a strong current and, despite immediate rescue efforts, could not be revived.

Bill Cosby, who starred as Warner’s on-screen father, Cliff Huxtable, shared a heartfelt tribute following the news of Warner’s death. In an interview with ABC News, Cosby reflected on the close bond the two shared during and after the show’s eight-season run from 1984 to 1992.

“He always knew his lines, he always knew where to go,” Cosby recalled. “He was very professional and a great studier.” He added that while he played a father figure on television, his paternal relationship with Warner extended well beyond the set. “Malcolm calls here regularly,” Cosby said. “While I was their TV dad, I never stopped being a father to them.”

Cosby also noted the emotional toll the news took on him, likening it to the loss of his own son, Ennis Cosby, who was murdered in 1997. Cosby’s spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, told People magazine that Warner and Ennis were friends in their youth, adding that the recent loss “reminded [Cosby] of the same call he received when his son died.”

Wyatt also shared that Cosby had spoken with fellow Cosby Show cast member Phylicia Rashad about Warner’s passing, reminiscing about their time working together.

Beyond his work on The Cosby Show, Warner built a diverse career in television and music. He earned acclaim for roles in Reed Between the Lines, The Resident, and Sons of Anarchy, and won a Grammy Award in 2015 for Best Traditional R&B Performance. In recent years, he also hosted a podcast exploring Black identity and culture.

Tributes from peers including Tracee Ellis Ross and Jamie Foxx have poured in on social media following the news of Warner’s death.