News of the drowning death of The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner is being felt around Hollywood, with the actor’s friends and former co-stars sharing heartfelt tributes across social media.
Warner drowned on Sunday, July 20, while swimming off the coast of Costa Rica. Authorities told the Associated Press he was caught by a high current and swept “deep into the ocean,” before people on the beach retrieved his body. He was 54.
The New Jersey native became a household name playing Theo Huxtable on NBC’s The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992. The role earned him an Emmy nomination and “set the stage for him to have a long career in the public eye,” said Warner’s personal website.
During his career, the former child actor had parts on more than 60 different television shows, according to his IMDb page.
Related: Malcolm-Jamal Warner Dies: ‘The Cosby Show’ Star Was 54
On Monday, as news of his death spread, Bill Cosby’s rep, Andrew Wyatt, told TMZ Warner’s death hit the elderly actor hard, reminding him of the day in 1997, when he learned his son Ennis Cosby had been killed in an attempted robbery in Los Angeles. Wyatt added that The Cosby Show co-creator and writer was proud of what the younger actor accomplished with his career.
Eddie Griffin, Warner’s co-star on the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie [shown above], remembered the actor in an Instagram Story. “My Heart is heavy right now… Rest easy my Brother for you have won in life and now you’ve won forever eternal bliss,” Griffin shared.
Tracee Ellis Ross, who played Warner’s wife on BET’s Reed Between the Lines, said he “made the world a better place.”
“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. Sending so much love to your family. I’m so sorry for this unimaginable loss,” the actress shared on Instagram.
Courtney B. Vance, who co-starred with Warner on the 2016 FX limited series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, remembered the actor on Instagram.
“It is with such a heavy heart that we bid farewell to a man who was a friend and colleague to so many of us. When @malcolmjamalwar was in the room, we all felt his good and kind spirit. He was not just a hard worker. He was a man with integrity and honor,” Vance wrote in part.
Warner was also a director and helmed the award-winning AIDS awareness video Timeout: The Truth about HIV, AIDS, and YOU, which featured Magic Johnson and Arsenio Hall. Johnson posted a tribute to Warner on the X platform.
“Cookie and I are sad to hear about the passing of our dear friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner. We were both super fans of the hit Cosby Show and continued to follow his career on shows like Malcolm and Eddie and The Resident… He will truly be missed. Cookie and I are praying for his family and close friends during this difficult time,” Johnson wrote.
Wendell Pierce, who shared the stage with Warner on the USA drama Suits and in a play, remembered him in a heartfelt post on X.
“A man of deep goodness, warmth, talent, and charm. He challenged himself in music, art, cinema, spoken word and writing. We did Shakespeare together, crime, drama and played dear friends on TV at one point… A tragic loss of a man who demonstrated the best in our humanity. Rest in Peace, brother,” Pierce wrote.
Former Suits star Gina Torres also remembered the late actor.
“I am gutted. This beautiful human and that extraordinary smile will now shine down on us from above. Flights of angels sing thee to thy rest my friend,” Torres wrote on Instagram.
Jennifer Love Hewitt, who appeared alongside Warner on the Fox drama 9-1-1 when he had a four-episode arc on the series last year, remembered him in a post on Instagram.
“This hurts my heart. A gentleman, an incredible talent and we were so lucky to have him in the 9-1-1 family. Heartbroken and sending love to his family,” the actress wrote.
9-1-1 star Angela Bassett shared on Instagram that she had known Warner for years and he “embraced” her before she became a star.
“When a special soul like @malcolmjamalwar leaves us far too soon, words fail to adequately describe the unimaginable grief. Malcolm was more than a gifted actor; he was a longtime friend. When I met him, he was a star on the show that was TV royalty, The Cosby Show. He warmly embraced me as a working actor who was trying to find my way,” she shared. “Then to have the opportunity to work with him again last year on @911onabc was a memorable full circle moment for us both. In this life, Malcolm is what’s known as a soulful artist whose deep commitment to his craft left an impression on me that has never faded. He carried the weight of cultural legacy with grace, and he always made space for others to shine.”
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About Anita Bennett
Anita Bennett is the editor and founder of Urban Hollywood 411. She can be reached on Twitter @tvanita.
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