Within minutes of news breaking Monday that actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for playing Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” in the 1980s, had died in a drowning accident while on a family vacation in Costa Rica, fans rushed to various social media platforms and news outlets to express their shock and grief, many saying they felt as if they had lost a member of their family.
“This is a real gut punch. I can’t believe it,” one person wrote below an online story about Warner’s death at age 54 by People magazine.
“This really hurt my heart as it feels as if I lost a family member,” another person said. “We watched him grow up from his Theo character to a successful man. Almost like watching a younger brother or your own child. My sympathies to his family. I’m still in shock.”
Indeed, as this person said, Warner had appeared to avoid the self-destructive behavior and turmoil that falls on a lot of actors who begin their Hollywood careers as children or teenagers. After the New Jersey-born son of a single mother landed the role of Theo on “The Cosby Show” in his early teens, and played the role for eight years, he built a thriving and acclaimed career as an actor and director in TV and in streaming series. His credits include in Eddie Griffin’s sitcom “Malcom and Eddie,” “Reed Between the Lines” with Tracee Ellis Ross, and crime and medical procedurals, “Major Crimes” and “The Resident.”
Warner, who is survived by a wife and daughter, also played Al Cowlings in the Emmy-winning crime series American Crime Story production “The People v. O.J Simpson” in 2016. Moreover, he proved himself to be an all-around artist, recording music, performing in theater and poetry jams and voicing a character in the children’s animated project, “The Magic School Bus.” Last year, he launched the podcast, “Not All Hood,” or “NAH,” in which he and his co-hosts discuss Black culture and “all lanes of the Black community.”
Across social media, people praised Warner as a “gifted actor” and a “fine young man, gone too soon.” Also on the People magazine story, someone said: “He was an important part of my life as a teen in the 80’s watching and loving the ‘Cosby Show,’ which is still an important part of American culture.”
To celebrate Black History Month in February, Warner shared a video of himself on his Instagram, rapping out of verse, naming famous Black men and women in U.S. history. In the comments of that post, liked more than 233,000 times, people also expressed their heartbreak and condolences: “Rest well!! Such a great actor!!! Prayers for your family,” one person wrote. “Nah, man. Nah. RIP Bro! Thank you for what you provided for my childhood & for my artistry.”
ABC reported that the Costa Rican National Police confirmed that Warner drowned off the coast of Costa Rica on Sunday. His death was ruled to be a result of asphyxia, police told the outlet.
In addition to fans, people who worked with Warner expressed their sadness, People also reported.
Marlee Matlin, who directed a season 2 episode of “Accused,” which Warner guest starred in, honored him on Instagram.
“I am so sad to read of the untimely passing of Malcolm Jamal Warner,” Martin wrote in the caption, alongside a photo of them at a panel in 2023. “He was the nicest guy and it was a privilege to have been in the same company with him, sharing a directors’ panel along with @HowardmGordon and Michael Chiklis. My heart goes out to his family and friends. RIP Malcolm.”
Kevin Hart wrote: “WTF…. Wow. This is heartbreaking,” before adding, “RIP king…. Woooow.”
Ricki Lake commented, “Omg!!!!!!!,” while actor Jennie Garth simply left a series of broken-heart emojis. More broken-heart emojis also came from Holly Robinson Peete, Patti LaBelle and Mario Lopez.