Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the American actor best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the iconic sitcom The Cosby Show, has died at the age of 54.
According to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency, Warner drowned on Sunday while swimming at Playa Grande near Cocles in the Limón province.
He was reportedly caught in a strong ocean current around 2:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. GMT) and pulled out to sea.
Bystanders were able to bring him back to shore, where emergency responders from the Costa Rican Red Cross attempted resuscitation efforts.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Warner had been on vacation in Costa Rica with his family. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
Warner rose to fame in the 1980s as the lovable Theo Huxtable, son of Bill Cosby’s character on The Cosby Show, which aired from 1984 to 1992.
The show broke new ground in its portrayal of an upper-middle-class Black family and became a cultural landmark, topping U.S. television ratings for five consecutive seasons.
In 1986, Warner received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the show.
He was just a teenager when he was cast in the role—reportedly the last person seen on the final day of a nationwide search.
“I was literally the last person they saw,” Warner recalled in a 2023 interview.
News of his death has prompted an outpouring of grief and tributes from fans and fellow entertainers. Celebrities including Questlove, Taraji P. Henson, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Magic Johnson have paid tribute to the late actor on social media.
Warner remained active in television, film, and music throughout his career and was widely respected for his versatility and depth both on and off screen.
His sudden passing has left a void in the entertainment industry and among generations of fans who grew up watching him on television.