Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Star of ‘The Cosby Show,’ Dies at 54; Cause of Death Confirmed

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the actor famous for playing Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died at the age of 54. According to ABC News, Warner passed away on Sunday near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica.

The Costa Rican National Police told ABC News that Warner’s cause of death was asphyxia, and they said he was caught by a strong ocean current. His body was found and officially identified by the local police.

Warner earned wide recognition for his role as Theo Huxtable, which brought him a primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy. That role helped him build a long and successful career in Hollywood.

In recent years, he played surgeon AJ Austin on the Fox medical drama The Resident and appeared in Fox’s courtroom show Accused.

He also acted alongside Kyra Sedgwick in ABC’s drama Ten Days in the Valley and portrayed A.C. Cowlings in FX’s American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. Born on August 18, 1970, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Warner was named after civil rights leader Malcolm X and jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal.

Besides his well-known TV roles, Warner appeared in many other shows, such as Sneaky Pete on Amazon, Major Crimes on TNT, Suits on USA Network, and popular series like Community, Sons of Anarchy, The Michael J. Fox Show, The Cleaner, and Dexter. He also directed episodes of The Cosby Show, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Sesame Street.

In 2011, Warner both directed and starred with Tracee Ellis Ross in the BET series Reed Between the Lines. He also directed an important AIDS awareness video called Timeout: The Truth about HIV, AIDS, and You, which featured appearances by Magic Johnson and Arsenio Hall.

Warner’s career extended beyond television. He made his first feature film appearance in Paramount’s Drop Zone and acted in Fools Gold, a Warner Bros. movie starring Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, and Donald Sutherland. On stage, he performed in several off-Broadway plays like Three Ways Home, Cryin’ Shame, Freefall, and a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at California’s La Jolla Playhouse.

This news of Warner’s death was confirmed by the Costa Rican police and reported by ABC News. It marks a sad moment for fans and the entertainment community who admired his work on screen and behind the camera.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!