Who did Malcolm Jamal Warner play in The Cosby Show? Emmy-nominated actor passes away at 54

Malcolm Jamal Warner, best known for his role in The Cosby Show, has passed away at the age of 54. He is survived by his wife and daughter, who remain out of the public eye.

Malcolm Jamal Warner portrayed Theodore "Theo" Huxtable, the only son of Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) in The Cosby Show. The sitcom ran from 1984 to 1992, spanning across 201 episodes in eight seasons. Warner's character was a teenager for most of his tenure in the series and also dealt with the learning disability dyslexia.

Warner's portrayal of Theo Huxtable earned him an Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series award. Apart from his work in the sitcom, the actor also played one of the eponymous leads in Malcolm & Eddie. He also appeared in other projects such as 9-1-1, Suits, and The Resident.

According to ABC News, Malcolm Jamal Warner died of asphyxia. The actor reportedly drowned in high current in the sea during a family vacation in Costa Rica. The local police found his body on Sunday, July 21, and identified him. The tragic incident occurred on Cocles Beach in the city of Limón.

Multiple co-stars, actors, and other members of the television community have paid their respects and condolences following Warner's death.

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Malcolm Jamal Warner's thoughts on how The Cosby Show changed the portrayal of the Black community in television

2023 Beloved Community Awards - Source: Getty

In a 2023 interview with PEOPLE, Malcolm Jamal Warner discussed how The Cosby Show changed the portrayal of the Black community in television. The popular sitcom is often credited for its impressive work in bringing Black representation to mainstream television. He said:

"What made it so groundbreaking was its universality. NBC initially saw it as a show about an upper-middle-class Black family. Mr. [Bill] Cosby diligently impressed upon them that the show was about an upper-middle-class family that happened to be Black."

He then highlighted how the Huxtable family, depicted in the series, has a "universal" appeal due to their family experience. Before the show, he said that Black sitcoms focused on a humor specific to the community's existence, reflected by their dress, art, and music. However, The Cosby Show changed this outlook.

Malcolm Jamal Warner further explained that everyone could relate to the Huxtable family in one way or another. He drew the example of Cliff Cosby being a doctor while Claire was a lawyer. The family dynamic was "practically every family", irrespective of "the ethnicity, socio-economic status, or even family makeup."

Warner was also of the opinion that the sitcom threw light upon the previously neglected Black middle class in the United States. The actor highlighted how the show proved its initial criticisms wrong and said:

"While one of the initial criticisms of the show was that Black people didn't live like the Huxtables, I was getting thousands of letters on the regular saying, 'Thank you for this show. Our family is the Huxtables, my dad is a doctor, and my mom is a lawyer.' The show shed light on the previously ignored Black middle class, which has always existed."

Moreover, the actor also mentioned how the show seemingly paved the way for former President Barack Obama's election to the White House.

"And people in Cliff and Claire's generation were often the first in their families to ever go to college, many of them becoming doctors and lawyers, like Barack and Michelle Obama. There's even an argument that the show laid the groundwork for having a Black President of the United States," he said.

Finally, Malcolm Jamal Warner explained how the cast is proud of the legacy of The Cosby Show and how they share a "unique experience." His portrayal of Theo will remain among the most celebrated performances in American television.