Cosby Show Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner Dies at 54 After Drowning in Costa Rica
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the acclaimed actor best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, tragically passed away at the age of 54 due to an accidental drowning while on vacation in Costa Rica.
The incident occurred on July 21, 2025, at Playa Cocles in the Limon province. Warner was swimming in the ocean when he was reportedly caught in a strong current.
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Despite efforts by nearby beachgoers to rescue him, he was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene. Costa Rica’s Red Cross confirmed that the official cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning. Authorities ruled out foul play and have labelled the occurrence a tragic accident.
Born on December 18, 1970, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Malcolm-Jamal Warner was named after civil rights icon Malcolm X and legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. He began his acting career at the age of nine, managed by his mother, Pamela Warner, and landed his first television role on Matt Houston.
His rise to fame came in 1984 when he was cast as Theo Huxtable on NBC’s groundbreaking sitcom The Cosby Show. The show ran until 1992, and Warner appeared in all 197 episodes. At just 15, he earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, cementing his place as one of television’s most recognizable young stars.
Following his success on The Cosby Show, Warner continued to work steadily in both television and film. He starred in and directed episodes of the hit sitcom Malcolm & Eddie, which aired from 1996 to 2000, and later created the children’s educational series Read Between the Lines.
His later roles included appearances in The Resident and American Crime Story—where he portrayed Al Cowlings during the O.J. Simpson trial season—and a standout arc in 2023 on 9-1-1, where he played a nurse and a fire survivor. In film, he starred in Fool’s Gold (2008) alongside Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, further showcasing his range.
Beyond acting, Warner was also a Grammy-winning musician. He received the award for Best Traditional R&B Performance and was nominated for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for his work Hiding in Plain View. His directorial talents were seen in multiple television episodes, including All That, The Resident, and his own series, reflecting his versatility and passion for storytelling in all forms.
Warner is survived by his wife and young daughter, whose names remain private. In a 2015 interview, he spoke candidly about the controversy surrounding Bill Cosby, expressing concern over the overshadowing of The Cosby Show’s cultural legacy.
