Tracee Ellis Ross, Jennifer Hudson, Magic Johnson and more react to death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Warner died Sunday in an accidental drowning at a Costa Rica beach, authorities there said Monday.
Actor Tracee Ellis Ross, who later played Warner's wife in the BET sitcom 'Reed Between the Lines,' wrote that her 'heart is so, so sad.' Magic Johnson said, 'Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life and business.' Jennifer Hudson says she is 'truly heartbroken' and Marlee Matlin called him 'the nicest guy.'
Some reactions from fans and peers:
Tracee Ellis Ross
'I love you, Malcolm. First I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband. My heart is so, so sad. What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant. You made the world a brighter place. Sending so much love to your family. I'm so sorry for this unimaginable loss. — via Instagram
Eddie Griffin
'My Heart is heavy right now… Rest easy my Brother for you have Won in Life and now you've won forever eternal bliss.' — via Instagram
Jennifer Hudson
'Devastated by this news. Truly heartbroken! Rest well, king.' — on X
Magic Johnson
'Cookie and I are sad to hear about the passing of our dear friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner. We were both super fans of the hit 'Cosby Show' and continued to follow his career on shows like 'Malcolm and Eddie' and 'The Resident.' Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life and business. He will truly be missed. — on X
Marlee Matlin
'I am so sad to read of the untimely passing of Malcolm Jamal Warner. He was the nicest guy and it was a privilege to have been in same company with him, sharing a directors' panel along with Howard Gordon and Michael Chiklis. My heart goes out to his family and friends. — on X.
NAACP
' #RestinPower to NAACP Image Award winning actor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Your talent and spirit touched many lives, and your legacy will continue to inspire. Thank you for the memories and the impact you made in the world of entertainment. — on X
Fox
'Everyone at Fox is heartbroken by the tragic loss of our friend and colleague, the extraordinary Malcolm-Jamal Warner. While his iconic roles — from comedic to dramatic — are unforgettable and timeless, Malcolm will be remembered most for his warmth, kind heart and the lasting impact he had on his friends, family and fans everywhere. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones.' — in a statement
The Martin Luther King Jr. Center
'Malcolm was a brilliant, multi-faceted artist and an inspiring giver. We are grateful for his love for #TheKingCenter and the King legacy. And for the ways he showed his support, including as co-host of our 2023 Beloved Community Awards… Our thoughts and prayers are with Malcolm's family during this very difficult time.' — on X
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Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was struggling along with daughter, 8, at time of drowning
Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner attends 2023 Beloved Community Awards at Hyatt Regency Atlanta on January 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Paras Griffin / Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Malcolm-Jamal Warner was swimming with his eight-year-old daughter when he drowned in Costa Rica earlier this week, according to reports. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The 54-year-old actor and musician, who was best known for playing Theo Huxtable in The Cosby Show , died on Sunday during a family vacation with his wife and daughter. Police told ABC News that surfers spotted Warner and his daughter struggling in the water and dove in to try and help them. Lifeguard instructor Mike Geist, who is also the vice-president of Caribbean Guard, explained to Us Weekly how the tragedy unfolded. Geist said that after group surf lessons earlier in the day, Warner and a few other individuals 'decided to get back in the water.' He recalled three people later being seen in 'distress,' who lifeguards were 'able to get out with some help.' He continued: 'Another person that was on the beach with a boogie board went out to go and look for Malcolm because they learned there was a fourth person,' Geist said, noting that a doctor was among those searching for the actor and eventually the one who found him submerged in water. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Once brought to shore, Warner was given 45 minutes of CPR, ABC News reported, but it was too late. Warner's cause of death was ruled as accidental asphyxiation by submersion, according to the outlet. RECOMMENDED VIDEO A man trying to help Warner had been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment 'without complications.' The late Grammy winner, who won Best Traditional R&B Performance in 2015, kept much of his personal life private, never sharing his daughter's name as well as keeping the identity of his wife from the public. However, in 2023 he posted a throwback video of him dancing with his daughter and singing to her when she was 1, noting how fast she was growing up. Warner also called his daughter a 'mini us' in a 2021 Instagram post while sharing how their family came to be. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Whatever 'bigger than family' ideas I had in my head before these two beautiful spirits came into my life are now fuelled to be even bigger. Life is even more fulfilling,' he wrote. 'When people ask me how I'm doing, I often tell them that I am living the mother****ing dream,' the Resident actor continued. 'And on the days it doesn't feel like it, I just remind myself that I'm still living SOMEBODY's dream. And I press on. I am so FULL now. Of Love. Of joy. Of gratefulness.' Read More After Warner's Cosby Show run ended in 1992, he went on to star alongside Eddie Griffin in Malcolm & Eddie . In recent years he appeared on Suits , Major Crimes and 9-1-1 and hosted podcast Not All Hood alongside Candace O. Kelley and Weusi Baraka. Sports Ontario Wrestling Canada Canada
Global News
5 days ago
- Global News
Bill Cosby speaks out on ‘Cosby Show' star Malcolm-Jamal Warner's death
Bill Cosby has paid tribute to his Cosby Show on-screen son Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who drowned while on a family trip in Costa Rica on Sunday. Cosby's spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, told People that Warner's tragic death 'reminded him of the same call he received when his son died.' (Cosby's son, Ennis Cosby, was murdered in 1997 during an attempted robbery on a Los Angeles freeway ramp as he tried to change a flat tire. He was 27.) Authorities said Warner's official cause of death was asphyxia, caused when the body is deprived of oxygen. He died near Playa Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica, according to police, adding that the actor was caught by a strong current in the water and his body was found Sunday afternoon. Wyatt said Cosby's son 'played with Malcolm' and called the 54-year-old actor's death 'devastating.' Story continues below advertisement 'He found a way to talk about Malcolm even though he was sad,' Wyatt said of Cosby. Cosby, 88, said that 'Malcolm was doing what he loved when he died — he was with his family.' 'He had just done a concert in Minnesota and called Mr. Cosby and talked about it. They spoke all the time. He said 'Malcolm was changing humanity,'' Wyatt said. 0:28 Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 'Cosby Show' star, dead at age 54 Cosby's spokesperson added that the actor was speaking with his Cosby Show co-stars following Warner's death. He said Cosby was 'on the phone with Phylicia Rashad reminiscing about Malcolm.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In another statement to CBS News, Cosby said that during his conversation with Rashad, who played his on-screen wife Claire Huxtable, the two were 'embracing each other over the phone about a dearly beloved friend.' Story continues below advertisement 'He was never afraid to go to his room and study. He knew his lines and that he was quite comfortable even with the growing pains of a being a teenager,' Cosby said, adding that he spoke to Warner 'three months ago.' Cosby's spokesperson also told the New York Post that the actor said of his on-screen children, 'While I was their TV dad, I never stopped being a father to them.' View image in full screen Bill Cosby acts with Malcolm-Jamal Warner in a scene from the 'Cosby Show.'. Jacques M. Chenet/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images In another statement to Us Weekly, Wyatt said Cosby praised Warner for his ability to be a role model for other teenagers, adding, 'You never heard anything negative about the child actors from The Cosby Show. No drugs, no alcohol, none of that.' Like the rest of the Cosby Show cast, Warner had to contend with the sexual assault allegations against Cosby, whose conviction in a Pennsylvania court was later overturned. Story continues below advertisement Warner told The Associated Press in 2015 that the show's legacy was 'tarnished.' 'My biggest concern is when it comes to images of people of color on television and film,' Warner said. 'We've always had The Cosby Show to hold up against that. And the fact that we no longer have that, that's the thing that saddens me the most because in a few generations the Huxtables will have been just a fairy tale.' In another interview, Warner referred to Cosby as his mentor and spoke about the positive interactions he's had with the comedian throughout his life. 'The Bill Cosby I know has been great to me and great for a lot of people,' Warner said in an interview with Billboard in January 2015. 'What he's done for comedy and television has been legendary and history-making. What he's done for the Black community and education has been invaluable. That's the Bill Cosby I know. I can't speak on the other stuff.' 'He's one of my mentors, and he's been very influential and played a big role in my life as a friend and mentor,' Warner continued. 'Just as it's painful to hear any woman talk about sexual assault, whether true or not, it's just as painful to watch my friend and mentor go through this.' He played Theo Huxtable for eight seasons, appearing in each of the 197 episodes of The Cosby Show and earning an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in a comedy in 1986. Story continues below advertisement Warner would develop a love-hate relationship with the character. 'Theo was very good to me. And I think that show and that role is timeless. And I'm very proud of that role,' Warner said in a recent podcast interview, while noting that he'd tried to separate himself from the role and for years would recoil when fans addressed him as Theo. 'Part of the distancing for me is not wanting to see how much of Malcolm is in Theo. I remember doing the show and I always thought that Theo is corny. I want Theo to be cooler,' he told Melyssa Ford on her Hot & Bothered podcast. 'Somebody called me America's favourite white Black boy. And I was 15…. It hurt me…. That's cultural trauma.' Story continues below advertisement Warner left behind a wife and daughter, whose identities are not known. — With files from The Associated Press
The Province
6 days ago
- The Province
'Cosby Show' actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner dead at 54
Malcolm-Jamal Warner attends SCAD aTVfest 2020 - In Conversation With Malcolm-Jamal Warner on Feb. 29, 2020 in Atlanta, Ga. Photo by Paras Griffin / Getty Images for SCAD aTVfest 2020 Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the actor who played teenage son Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show , has died at age 54 in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica, authorities there said Monday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department said Warner drowned Sunday afternoon on a beach on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. He was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean. 'He was rescued by people on the beach,' the department's initial report said, but first responders from Costa Rica's Red Cross found him without vital signs and he was taken to the morgue. Read More Warner created many TV moments etched in the memories of generation X children and their parents, including a pilot-episode argument with Bill Cosby's Cliff Huxtable about money, and another episode where Theo tries to hide his ear piercing from his dad. His Theo was the only son among four daughters in the household of Cliff Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad's Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom, and he would be one of the prime representations of American teenage boyhood on a show that was the most popular in America for much of its run from 1984 to 1992. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He played the role for eight seasons, appearing in each of the show's 197 episodes and earning an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in a comedy in 1986. For many the lasting image of the character, and of Warner, is of him wearing a badly botched mock designer shirt sewed by his sister Denise, played by Lisa Bonet. The 'Gordon Gartrell' shirt later became a meme-able image: Anthony Mackie wore one on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and the profile picture on Warner's Instagram shows a toddler sporting one. Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson was among those paying him tribute Monday. Johnson said on X that he and his wife are sad to hear of the death of their friend. Cookie and I are sad to hear about the passing of our dear friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner. We were both super fans of the hit Cosby Show and continued to follow his career on shows like Malcolm and Eddie and The Resident. Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun… — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 21, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We were both super fans of the hit Cosby Show and continued to follow his career on shows like Malcolm and Eddie and The Resident ,' Johnson said. 'Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life, and business. He will truly be missed.' Like the rest of the Cosby Show cast, Warner had to contend with the sexual assault allegations against its titular star, whose conviction in a Pennsylvania court was later overturned. Warner told The Associated Press in 2015 that the show's legacy was 'tarnished. 'My biggest concern is when it comes to images of people of colour on television and film,' Warner said. 'We've always had The Cosby Show to hold up against that. And the fact that we no longer have that, that's the thing that saddens me the most because in a few generations the Huxtables will have been just a fairy tale.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Representatives for Cosby declined an immediate comment. Warner later appeared on the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie , co-starring with comedian Eddie Griffin in the series on the defunct UPN network from 1996 to 2000. And in the 2010s, he starred opposite Tracee Ellis Ross as a family-blending couple for two seasons on the BET sitcom Read Between the Lines . He also had a role as O.J. Simpson's friend Al Cowlings on American Crime Story and was a series regular on Fox's The Resident . This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'First I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband,' Ross said on Instagram. 'My heart is so so sad. What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant.' His film roles included the 2008 rom-com Fool's Gold with Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. A poet and a musician, Warner was a Grammy winner, for best traditional R&B performance, and was nominated for best spoken word poetry album for Hiding in Plain View . Warner had been married for about 10 years with a daughter about five years old, but chose to not publicly disclose their names. Warner's representatives declined an immediate comment on his death. 'I grew up with a maniacal obsession with not wanting to be one of those 'where are they now kids,'' Warner told the AP in 2015. 'I feel very blessed to be able to have all of these avenues of expression … to be where I am now and finally at a place where I can let go of that worry about having a life after Cosby.' — AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton reported from Los Angeles. AP National Writer Jocelyn Noveck contributed reporting from New York. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Vancouver Canucks News News Local News News
