EXCLUSIVE: Malcolm-Jamal Warner Died 'Proud' of 'Cosby Show' Legacy and Once Boasted About the Sitcom's Impact – Despite Sex Creep Bill Cosby's Assault Allegations Tarnishing Program's Future
Malcolm-Jamal Warner remained proud of The Cosby Show's legacy despite the Bill Cosby scandal tarnishing it.
Aug. 19 2025, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
Beloved TV star Malcolm-Jamal Warner – best known for playing Theo Huxtable for all eight seasons of The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992 – accidentally drowned at age 54 during a family vacation in Costa Rica, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Local officials confirmed Warner got caught in a high current while swimming off the coast of the Central American nation near Playa Cocles, a beach in the province of Limon, and died due to asphyxia, according to an ABC News report.
The sitcom star's body was formally identified by Costa Rica's national police.
Bill Cosby's Allegations Took A Toll On The Show
Bill Cosby's former TV son Malcolm-Jamal Warner reflects on the enduring legacy of 'The Cosby Show.'
Warner played the only son of now scandal-scarred Bill Cosby's Dr. Cliff Huxtable on the NBC hit. The role earned him an Emmy Award nomination in 1986 – the same year he was tapped to host an episode of Saturday Night Live.
In 2023, Warner told People despite the allegations later made against his screen dad, he and his show fam – who included Phylicia Rashad, Sabrina Le Beauf, Lisa Bonet, Tempestt Bledsoe and Keshia Knight Pulliam – were still proud of their work.
"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," Warner told the outlet.
Cosby, 88, was convicted of sexual assault in 2018, but the conviction was overturned on a technicality three years later – and he was sprung from the slammer.
The former pudding pitchman has been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women – but maintains he's innocent.
Warner's Gigs After Starring On The Iconic Show
Eddie Griffin co-starred with Warner in the sitcom 'Malcolm & Eddie.'
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After The Cosby Show, Warner went on to star in the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie with funnyman Eddie Griffin from 1996 to 2000, BET's Reed Between the Lines from 2011 to 2015, and Fox's The Resident from 2018 to 2023.
Last year, he also launched the podcast Not All Hood with Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley, which explored the lived experiences and identities of Blacks in America.
Warner is survived by his wife and their 8-year-old daughter, whose names the protective performer never publicly revealed.
