Following reports of the untimely passing of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner at the age of 54, allegedly due to an accidental drowning incident in San Jose, Costa Rica, Mr. Bill Cosby has publicly expressed his condolences and paid tribute to Warner’s professional legacy.
In a statement given during a Monday interview with Jericka Duncan of CBS News, Mr. Cosby reflected on Warner’s portrayal of ‘Theo Huxtable’ in the long-running television series The Cosby Show, which aired from 1984 to 1992 and spanned 197 episodes.
Cosby commended Warner for his unwavering dedication, professionalism, and work ethic throughout the series’ run, emphasizing the late actor’s significant contributions both on screen and behind the scenes.
Mr. Cosby reflected on Mr. Warner’s professionalism during their time working together, stating: ‘He was never afraid to go to his room and study — he knew his lines and then he was quite comfortable, even with the growing pains of being a teenager.’
Cosby also recounted what he described as their final conversation, which occurred approximately three months prior to Warner’s reported passing. He characterized the exchange as emotionally significant and deeply meaningful.
‘What we talked about was something he was very proud of,’ Cosby recalled. ‘He had recently performed in a concert in Minnesota with the symphony orchestra, and there was a piece he had composed.’
In further remarks, Mr. Bill Cosby reflected on his final conversation with Mr. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, noting the pride Warner expressed in his recent artistic accomplishments. ‘He was very proud of what he had done and what he had said — and it was about living in America,’ Cosby stated.
Warner, in June 2024, shared via his official Instagram account a performance of Art In Motion…, a Juneteenth poem he had been commissioned to write by the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Cosby also confirmed that he had spoken with Ms. Phylicia Rashad — who portrayed Clair Huxtable alongside Warner and Cosby on The Cosby Show — on the day of Warner’s passing.
In a formal statement issued to the Daily Mail, Cosby’s legal counsel acknowledged the impact of Warner’s death on the 87-year-old entertainer, describing it as ‘another tragedy in the life of the comedy veteran.’
‘You always hear older people say, “Parents are not supposed to bury their children,”‘ the attorney remarked. ‘Mr. Cosby lost his son, Ennis, to gun violence, and his daughter, Ensa, passed away just two weeks prior to our 2018 trial. And now he’s lost the man who portrayed a character modeled after his own son, Ennis, at the age of 54. That is a lot.’
The attorney added that Warner ‘was so much more’ to Mr. Cosby than a co-star, describing him as akin to a son — emblematic of a parent repeatedly faced with the devastating loss of his children.
According to officials with the Judicial Investigation Department in Costa Rica, Mr. Warner died on Sunday as a result of drowning. The incident occurred at Playa Cocles, located in the Limón province on the country’s Caribbean coast. Authorities indicated that Warner had been pulled out into deep water by a strong current.#newsafro_
