Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, famous for portraying Theodore “Theo” Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” passed away on Sunday, July 20, 2025, at the age of 54. He drowned while swimming in Costa Rica during a family vacation.
The Costa Rican National Police confirmed that Warner drowned near Cocles, a beach in the city of Limon, after getting caught in a strong current. His body was found on Sunday afternoon and identified by Costa Rica’s national police. The official cause of death was asphyxia.
Warner was vacationing with his daughter at the time of the incident. The Costa Rican Red Cross responded after bystanders retrieved Warner from the water and brought him to shore, where he received medical attention but was pronounced dead. His body was later transported to the Judicial Morgue in San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia, for an autopsy.
Another person was injured during the incident and taken to a local clinic in critical condition, according to the Costa Rican Red Cross. Their condition remains unknown.
Born on August 18, 1970, in New Jersey, Warner developed an interest in acting early on, leading his parents to enroll him at The Professional Children’s School in New York City, New York. He made his television debut in 1982 on “Matt Houston” and appeared on “Fame” the following year.
Warner secured his breakout role on “The Cosby Show” in 1984 after auditioning on the final day of NBC’s national search. He later revealed that casting directors initially sought a six-foot-two-inch 16-year-old, but when no suitable candidate was found, his agent resubmitted him. Warner stated he was literally the last person seen for the role.
Warner played Bill Cosby’s son throughout all eight seasons of The Cosby Show, which aired from 1984 to 1992. His performance earned him an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series in 1986, establishing his status as a TV icon and launching a career that has spanned over four decades.
After “The Cosby Show,” Warner co-starred with Eddie Griffin in the UPN sitcom “Malcolm & Eddie” from 1996 to 2000. He later led the BET sitcom “Reed Between the Lines” from 2011 to 2015, starring opposite Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Alex Reed.
Warner’s television work expanded to include roles on “Sons of Anarchy,” where he played Sticky, and “The Resident,” portraying AJ Austin from 2018 to 2023. His recent appearances included guest spots on “9-1-1” and “Alert: Missing Persons Unit.”
Besides acting, Warner pursued directing in his late teens, directing music videos for artists such as New Edition and Special Ed. He also directed episodes of various television series, including “The Cosby Show,” “All That,” “Kenan & Kel,” and “Malcolm & Eddie.” He directed the 1992 educational video “Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You,” featuring Arsenio Hall and Magic Johnson.
Warner was also acknowledged for his musical contributions, receiving a Grammy Award in 2015 for Best Traditional R&B Performance as a featured artist on Jesus Children of America with the Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaway. In 2023, he was nominated for another Grammy in the best spoken word poetry album category for Hiding in Plain View.
The actor also lent his voice to “The Magic School Bus” as the Producer character, a role he also executive-produced for the PBS Kids series.
Most recently, Warner launched the podcast “Not All Hood” in June 2024 with co-hosts Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley. The podcast focused on mental health discussions within the Black community, with Warner describing it as a space where he could be vulnerable. His latest episode was released just three days before his death. Warner indicated the podcast aimed to explore different facets of Black culture and balance out one-sided representations.
In 2013, Warner told the Archive of American Television that his proudest achievement was maintaining stability after his time on “The Cosby Show.” He expressed having peace of mind and feeling successful in his post-“Cosby Show” career and life.
Warner reflected on the lasting impact of “The Cosby Show” in recent interviews, acknowledging that despite controversies surrounding Bill Cosby, the show influenced a generation to pursue higher education and form loving family relationships. He emphasized that the show’s cultural impact remained irreversible.
Warner is survived by his wife and daughter, whose identities he chose to keep private throughout his career. Representatives for Warner declined to comment on his death.
