Beloved actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner has passed away unexpectedly at the age of 54.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the actor known and loved by many, has sadly passed away at 54 years old, according to reports shared by multiple media outlets.Most people will remember Warner for his iconic role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, a character he portrayed throughout all eight seasons of the hit series.Authorities have confirmed to ABC News that Warner died by drowning while swimming near the coast of Costa Rica on Sunday, July 20.
According to officials, Warner lost his life near Cocles Beach in the Limon area. He was reportedly caught in a strong current while swimming, and his body was discovered later that Sunday afternoon.Costa Rica’s national police conducted the formal identification and verified that the official cause of death was asphyxia, resulting from drowning.UNILAD has reached out to representatives of Warner for any further comments regarding the tragic incident.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was in Costa RicaDerek White/Getty Images
Warner rose to fame on The Cosby Show, where he played Theo Huxtable from 1984 until the show ended in 1992. His work on the sitcom earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.He also starred in the ‘90s comedy series Malcolm & Eddie, which was another major highlight in his career. In more recent years, he appeared in the Fox medical drama The Resident.Just last year in 2023, Warner spoke with People magazine about the show’s long-lasting impact, reflecting on the legacy it left behind three decades after its conclusion.
In that interview, Warner shared: “What made it so groundbreaking was its universality. NBC initially saw it as a show about an upper-middle-class Black family. Mr. [Bill] Cosby diligently impressed upon them that the show was about an upper-middle-class family that happened to be Black.”Although the show remained a cultural touchstone, its image became more complicated in light of Bill Cosby’s legal controversies. In June 2021, Cosby’s sexual assault conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which added another layer of complexity to how people now view the series.Commenting on that shift, Warner also said: “Regardless of how some people may feel about the show now, I’m still proud of the legacy and having been a part of such an iconic show that had such a profound impact on – first and foremost, Black culture – but also American culture.”
The actor has died aged 54FOX via Getty Images
He went on to add: “I know I can speak for all the cast when I say The Cosby Show is something that we are all still very proud of.”“We share a unique experience that keeps us lovingly bonded no matter how much time goes between seeing or hearing from each other.”
