Bill Cosby Mourns 'TV Son' Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Shamed 'Cosby Show' Star Opens Up About Pain of Losing 'Third Child'
Bill Cosby has paid tribute to his 'TV son' Malcolm-Jamal Warner who tragically drowned in Costa Rica aged 54.
July 22 2025, Published 10:48 a.m. ET
Bill Cosby has paid tribute to "TV son" Malcolm-Jamal Warner following his tragic death.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the shamed Cosby Show actor, 88, said losing his former co-star was as painful as the passing of two of his own children.
Model Professional
Cosby lauded Warner's work ethic and dedication to his craft.
Warner drowned aged 54 in an accidental incident in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Sunday while swimming off the coast.
Speaking about the late actor, who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show which ran from 1984 until 1992, Cosby said: "He was never afraid to go to his room and study — he knew his lines and then he was quite comfortable, even with the growing pains of being a teenager."
Cosby opened up on the emotional discussion the two had about three months back, which would mark the final time they spoke.
"We talked about was very proud of," Cosby said. "He had a concert in Minnesota with the symphony, and there was something he had written."
Cosby continued: "He was very proud of what he had done and what he had said — and it was about living in America."
Familiar Pain
Cosby has previously lost two of his own children and compared Warner's passing to those tragedies.
Cosby confirmed he had spoken with Phylicia Rashad, who played Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show, in the wake of his death.
The comedy veteran's lawyer said in a statement that the death of Warner marked another tragedy in his life.
"You always hear older people say, 'Parents are not supposed to bury their children,'" said Cosby's attorney. "Mr. Cosby lost his son, Ennis, to gun violence, and his daughter, Ensa, died two weeks before our 2018 trial.
"And now he's lost the man who played a character that was modeled after his own son, Innis, at 54 years of age. That is a lot."
The attorney said that Warner "was so much more' to Cosby, described as a parent who had to "continually bury his children."
Drowning Tragedy
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Warner died Sunday after he drowned while swimming in the ocean off the coast of Costa Rica.
Officials with the Judicial Investigation Department in Costa Rica said that the actor died Sunday after he drowned while on a Caribbean beach in the country.
Warner had been at Playa Cocles in the Limon province, authorities said, and had been drawn deep into the water by a current.
The first report from the department said that the actor had been "rescued by people on the beach," while Red Cross officials said that first responders who located Warner could not detect vital signs and subsequently transferred him to a nearby morgue.
Warner's career in entertainment spanned more than four decades, as he also had featured roles on sitcoms such as Malcolm & Eddie, Listen Up and Read Between the Lines and drama shows such as The Resident and Jeremiah.
Cosby has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault and sexual harassment.
He served three years in prison after he was convicted of sexual assault in 2018 -- but that conviction was overturned on appeal.
The comedy star has maintained his innocence.
