We are saddened to report that Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has passed away at the age of 54.
A staple of Black television in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Warner became a household name as Theo, the quick-witted only son of the Huxtable family. We fell in love with him every Thursday night at 8 p.m., watching him grow from a 14-year-old teen to a 22-year-old young man over the course of eight seasons. From the iconic Gordon Gartrell shirt to his dyslexia diagnosis, Theo’s storylines, though fictional, reflected our own coming-of-age experiences, making him feel like family.
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But his impact stretched far beyond playing Theo. By his late teens, Warner was already directing music videos for artists like New Edition and Special Ed. He later went on to direct episodes of The Cosby Show, All That, Kenan & Kel, and Malcolm & Eddie.
He remained a steady presence on screen for decades, appearing in shows like Reed Between the Lines, Suits, The Resident, Major Crimes, 9-1-1, and Alert: Missing Persons Unit. His range extended into voice work on The Magic School Bus and guest roles in classics like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Community.
In 2023, Warner launched the podcast Not All Hood with cohosts Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley to address mental health in the Black community.
He died while swimming during a family vacation in Costa Rica, according to PEOPLE. His legacy lives on through his family and daughter, and in the stories he helped shape and the hearts he touched. May he rest in peace.
Cover Photo: Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Beloved ‘The Cosby Show’ Actor and Director, Has Joined the Ancestors / Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP