Hollywood is mourning the loss of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show.
The 54-year-old actor, who recently appeared on the Fox medical series The Resident, tragically drowned on Sunday near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica, according to the Costa Rican National Police, who confirmed the details to ABC News.
Warner was caught in a rip current and later found that same afternoon. Police identified asphyxia as the official cause of death and formally identified Warner’s body.
Tributes quickly poured in across social media and news outlets from fellow actors, friends, and fans.
Morris Chestnut, Warner’s co-star on The Resident, shared a touching post on Instagram, along with photos and a video of Warner. “Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner,” he wrote. “Working alongside him on ‘The Resident’ was an honor. 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.”
Geoffrey Owens, who appeared as the brother-in-law of Warner’s character on The Cosby Show, also reacted in a statement to ABC News. “This tragedy has almost left me speechless. Malcolm was a lovely man; a sweet and sensitive soul. I respected him for many reasons, including the fact that he genuinely loved the act of creation,” Owens said. “He had the mind of an actor and the heart of a musician. He was generous, too; I did a theater project long ago and asked him to participate; and he was there for me. My heart goes out to his family,” he added.
Tracee Ellis Ross, who played Warner’s on-screen wife in Reed Between the Lines, posted a heartfelt Instagram tribute accompanied by several photos. “I love you, Malcolm,” she wrote. “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.”
Angela Bassett, who acted with Warner in 9-1-1, honored him with a deeply personal message. “When a special soul like @malcolmjamalwar leaves us far too soon, words fail to adequately describe the unimaginable grief,” she wrote. “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. Even in his youth, Malcolm’s empathy, quiet strength, and his bright light surrounded us all. Then to have the opportunity to work with him again last year on @911onabc was a memorable full circle moment for us both.”
She continued, “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. His light will remain in our hearts always. My prayers are with you and yours. Rest in perfect peace until we meet again.”
“It was an honor — and I pray your family is comforted,” she added. “Your legacy will live on. Rest easy in God’s hands. ♥️🕊️.”
Magic Johnson also honored Warner’s memory with a post on X. “Cookie and I are sad to hear about the passing of our dear friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner,” he wrote. “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 added. “Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life, and business. He will truly be missed. Cookie and I are praying his family and close friends during this difficult time.”
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