Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner died on July 20, 2025, while vacationing in Costa Rica. He was swimming off the coast when he was caught in a riptide and pulled under the waves. He was 54 years old. 

Warner is perhaps best known for playing Theo Huxtable, the irascible, well-meaning, but mistake-prone teenager on “The Cosby Show” from 1984 to 1992, a role he would reprise on shows like “A Different World” and on a notable Earth Day TV special in 1990. He was a constant presence on TV throughout his career, however, and should be remembered for the breadth and depth of his showbiz career. Warner was one of the main characters on the short-lived drama “Here and Now” in 1992, and he hosted the kids anthology series “CBS Storybreak” in 1993 and 1994. He played The Producer on “The Magic School Bus” from 1994 to 1997. This, while appearing in single episodes of shows like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Touched by an Angel.” 

Warner never took a break, and while Theo Huxtable was a relatable, energetic character, Warner was a comedian and actor of considerable strength, acting in sitcoms and dramas with equal aplomb. From 1996 to 2000, he and his co-star Eddie Griffin played fictional renditions of themselves on the UPN’s “Malcolm and Eddie,” a series that ran 89 episodes over its four seasons. The Malcolm and Eddie characters lucked into a great sum of money and purchased a pub they would operate together, learning how to be business owners on their feet. Both Warner and Griffin were nominated for NAACP Image Awards for the series. 

And that ended 25 years ago. Warner’s roles and career continued apace. For instance, few may know that Warner has been nominated for two Grammys, winning one in 2015 for his vocal performance on the song “Jesus Children.” He won for Best Traditional R&B Performance.” 

While his legacy was cemented by the popularity of “The Cosby Show” while he was still a teen, Warner never stopped hustling and never rested on his laurels. He turned up in genre shows like “Sliders,” “Static Shock” (currently being rebooted), and “Stripperella,” but also well-regarded hits like “Dexter” and “Community.” On “Community,” he played Andre, the on-again-off-again husband of Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown). He was a main cast member on Sherri Shepherd’s short-lived sitcom “Sherri,” and one of the lead characters on the 2011 BET series “Reed Between the Lines.” He played one of the titular Reeds alongside Tracee Ellis Ross, who played his wife. 

Warner put himself out there, and you likely saw him make a guest appearance on your favorite show. He was in three episodes of “American Horror Story” (the “Freak Show” season) and played a character named Sticky in three episodes of “Sons of Anarchy.” He had a recurring role on the sleeper hit series “Suits,” and turned up multiple times in the Prime Video series “Sneaky Pete” in 2015. It was around this time that he was recording “Jesus Children” and gearing up for that Grammy win. Warner released his first album, a jazz and poetry odyssey, “The Miles Long Mixtape” in 2003. He released three other records besides. His most recent, “Hiding in Plain View,” came out in 2022. 

Warner also began directing in 2018, taking charge of an episode of “The Resident,” another series that welcomed him as part of the regular ensemble. “White Famous,” “Grown-ish,” “The Wonder Years.” He did it all. 

Warner’s most recent role was playing Amir on the hit show “9-1-1.” And he had every intention of continuing his work. In 2024, he had just launched (with Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley) the podcast “Not All Hood (NAH),” which was all about the Black experience in America. 

Warner’s prolific and active career was cut short by a tragic accident. Luckily, we have many, many great Warner performances to catch up on.