Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the iconic sitcom The Cosby Show, died at the age of 54 in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica. The news was confirmed by Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department on Monday (July 21).
According to media reports, authorities stated that Warner was swimming at Playa Grande de Cocles, located in the Caribbean province of Limon, on Sunday afternoon when he was caught in a strong current that pulled him into deeper waters.
"He was rescued by people on the beach," the official report said. However, emergency responders from Costa Rica's Red Cross found Warner without vital signs, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. His body was transported to the local morgue.
Warner rose to fame in the 1980s as the only son of Bill Cosby's character, Heathcliff Huxtable, on The Cosby Show, which aired from 1984 to 1992 and remains one of television's most influential family sitcoms.
Following his breakout role, Warner built a diverse and successful acting career. He starred as Malcolm McGee opposite Eddie Griffin in the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie, which aired for four seasons on UPN. From 2011 to 2015, he headlined BET’s Reed Between the Lines, and later took on the role of AJ Austin in Fox’s medical drama The Resident from 2018 to 2023.
His other television credits include Sons of Anarchy, Jeremiah, Suits, 9-1-1, Alert: Missing Persons Unit, and The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, in which he portrayed Al Cowlings. He also made memorable guest appearances on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Community, and Grown-ish, and lent his voice to The Magic School Bus, where he also served as executive producer.
