The Cosby Show’s Only Son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Has Died at 54

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for playing Theodore Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died. People reports that Warner drowned accidentally while on a family trip in Costa Rica. He was 54.

Warner starred as Theo, the only son of Cliff and Claire Huxtable—played by Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad—on the sitcom from 1984 to 1992, along. Warner had many moments to shine as a brother besieged by four sisters—Sondra (Sabrina LaBoeuf), Denise (Lisa Bonet), Vanessa, (Tempestt Bledsoe), and Rudy (Keisha Knight-Pulliam)—as well as the growing pains that naturally beset a teenage boy. Loosely based on Cosby’s only son Ennis, Theo struggled in school and was a bit of a trouble maker, but was also eternally endearing—a juxtaposition Warner handled with aplomb. Eventually, Theo learned that he suffered from dyslexia and became a volunteer student teacher while studying at New York University. In the final episode of the series, Theo graduates from NYU with a degree in psychology.

During one particularly memorable moment in the show’s pilot episode, Theo receives a life lesson from his father about the importance of applying himself in school, in which Cosby utters a now-famous line: “I brought you in this world, and I’ll take you out.” Warner was nominated for an Emmy in 1986 for outstanding performance by a supporting actor in a comedy series.

After The Cosby Show ended, Warner continued acting. He starred as Malcolm on the UPN series Malcolm & Eddie from 1996 to 2000; starred opposite Tracee Ellis Ross in the sitcom Reed Between The Lines for two seasons; and guest starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a boyfriend of Hillary Banks (Karyn Parsons Rockwell). He also memorably voiced The Producer in the Magic School Bus animated series.

In more recent years, Warner acted from time to time in the Ryan Murphy cinematic universe, appearing as football player Al Cowlings in American Crime Story: Impeachment as well as American Horror Story: Freak Show. He also guest-starred on series like Suits, Grownish, and, most recently, Murphy’s 9-1-1. Warner was also an accomplished bass player and musician, and won a Grammy in 2015 for best traditional R&B performance for “Jesus Children” with Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Lalah Hathaway.

His most recent venture was a podcast, Not All Hood, which was meant to destigmatize mental health and therapy in the Black community. The most recent episode of Not All Hood was released three days prior to his death.

Warner is survived by his wife and daughter.