R.I.P. Malcolm-Jamal Warner Passes Away At 54

UPDATED — 1:46 PM 07/21/2025
PEOPLE has confirmed that the actor died of an apparent drowning during a family vacation in Costa Rica. NBC News adds that Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department said Warner drowned Sunday afternoon on a beach on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast when a current “pulled him deeper into the ocean.”

“He was rescued by people on the beach,” the department’s initial report said, but first responders from Costa Rica’s Red Cross found him without vital signs and he was taken to the morgue.

Below this line, the original story begins.

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There’s sad news to report about Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The Cosby Show star, 54, has died.

TMZ confirmed the news Monday afternoon. PEOPLE also confirmed. No further details have been shared at this time.

The Emmy-nominated actor starred as the lovable and often-humbled teen son of Cliff and Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show, endearing himself to millions during the show’s groundbreaking run from 1984 to 1992.

A staple of Black television history, Warner’s portrayal of Theo helped shape the image of a modern Black family on screen. His natural charm and comedic timing made him one of TV’s most memorable coming-of-age characters.

He later headlined the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie, which aired from 1996 to 2000, and went on to appear in Reed Between the Lines from 2011 to 2015.

Warner also made notable appearances in series like Suits, The Resident, and several others.

Most recently, he was featured in 9-1-1 and Alert: Missing Persons Unit. Still, he’ll always be Theo, the heart of The Cosby Show.

He is survived by a wife and daughter.

This story is still developing.