logo
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was ‘rescued by bystanders,' declared ‘lifeless' after being pulled from water

Malcolm-Jamal Warner was ‘rescued by bystanders,' declared ‘lifeless' after being pulled from water

New York Post22-07-2025
Good Samaritans tried to rescue Malcolm-Jamal Warner after he accidentally drowned but it was too late.
'The Cosby Show' actor died on Sunday, July 20, at age 54, while on vacation in Costa Rica with his family.
Costa Rican National Police told The Post that Warner was pulled from the water by people in the area and taken to shore, where they desperately attempted to save his life.
12 Malcolm-Jamal Warner died on Sunday by accidentally drowning.
Getty Images for SCAD aTVfest 2020
New details have now emerged about Warner's final moments, with Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) sharing additional information about their efforts.
'The victim appears to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current. The man was rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, where he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross. However, he was declared lifeless at the scene,' the OIJ confirmed to People.
The actor's body was taken to the morgue at San Joaquin de Flores for an autopsy, with his cause of death listed as asphyxiation by 'submersion,' the Costa Rican National Police shared on Monday, July 21.
Warner played the beloved character Theodore 'Theo' Huxtable, the son of Bill Cosby's Cliff Huxtable, in 'The Cosby Show' from 1984 to 1992.
The role landed him an 1986 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
12 He starred as Theodore 'Theo' Huxtable, the son of Bill Cosby's Cliff Huxtable, in 'The Cosby Show' from 1984 to 1992.
Corbis via Getty Images
12 The role earned him an Emmy nomination in 1986.
Courtesy Everett Collection
Warner was joined on the screen by the rest of his Huxtable TV family, which included Phylicia Rashad (Clair), Sabrina Le Beauf (Sondra), Lisa Bonet (Denise), Tempestt Bledsoe (Vanessa) and Keshia Knight Pulliam (Rudy).
The star didn't audition for the role of Theo until the final day of the comedy's nationwide search and was handpicked by Cosby himself, per Variety.
Warner spoke to The Post exclusively about 'The Cosby Show' legacy in April 2021, just two months before Cosby's sexual assault conviction was overturned.
12 Bystanders tried to save Warner's life by pulling him out of the water.
Getty Images
12 However, their efforts were too late.
Getty Images
12 Costa Rican National Police revealed his cause of death was asphyxiation by 'submersion.'
NBCUniversal via Getty Images
'I can understand why some people can't watch the show and enjoy it because of everything that's going on now,' Warner said.
He confessed that the lasting impression 'The Cosby Show' had in TV history was undeniable.
'But I think…there's a generation of young people who have pursued higher education or have started loving families because of the influence of that show. So it's kind of like, you can't discount its impact on television culture and American culture,' he explained.
12 The actor was in Costa Rica with his family on vacation.
Courtesy Everett Collection
12 In 2021, Warner spoke to The Post exclusively about 'The Cosby Show' legacy.
NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Warner continued to act for decades to come after the series ended in 1992.
He went on to voice The Producer in 'The Magic School Bus' from 1994 to 1997. However, his next major role came in 1996 when he was cast as Malcolm McGee in 'Malcolm & Eddie.'
Warner starred in all 89 episodes alongside Eddie Griffin until the sitcom went off the air in 2000.
12 Following his stint on 'The Cosby Show,' Warner continued to act for decades to come.
Courtesy Everett Collection
Griffin, 57, broke his silence on Warner's death just hours after the news broke.
'My Heart is heavy today,' the actor captioned a photo of his former co-star on Instagram.
'For what the world lost was a Father a Son a Poet a Musician a Actor a Teacher a Writer a Director a Friend a Warrior that I had the pleasure of going to war with against the Hollywood machine and sometimes with each other because that's what Brothers do but the Love was and is always there🙏🏾 ,' he continued.
12 Several of his former co-stars have spoken out about his unexpected passing.
Getty Images
Griffin concluded, 'You've taught me so much and I thank you 🙏🏾 Rest Well My Big little Brother 🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾.'
Warner's 'Reed Between the Lines' co-star Tracee Ellis Ross also addressed his unexpected passing.
The pair played husband and wife on the short-lived sitcom, which only saw two seasons between 2011 and 2015.
12 Malcolm-Jamal Warner also starred on 'The Resident' as Dr. AJ Austin.
'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,' Ross shared.
'What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant. You made the world a brighter place,' she wrote. 'Sending so much love to your family. I'm so sorry for this unimaginable loss.'
In 2018, Warner joined 'The Resident' as Dr. AJ Austin, whom he played until 2023.
12 He leaves behind a wife and daughter.
Alberto E. Rodriguez
Some of his other credits included 'American Horror Story: Freak Show,' 'American Crime Story,' 'Suits,' '9-1-1,' 'Community,' 'Sons of Anarchy,' 'Here and Now' and 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.'
Warner is survived by his wife and daughter, whom he chose to keep private.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tourism Australia Taps Robert Irwin to Lure US Travellers Down Under
Tourism Australia Taps Robert Irwin to Lure US Travellers Down Under

Epoch Times

timean hour ago

  • Epoch Times

Tourism Australia Taps Robert Irwin to Lure US Travellers Down Under

Australian celebrity Robert Irwin, English television cook Nigella Lawson, Chinese actor Yosh Yu, and other international stars have been unveiled as the new faces to lure overseas tourists Down Under. Videos featuring these celebrities set against iconic Australian landscapes will be part of the federal government's latest tourism campaign aimed at attracting travellers from the UK, United States, China, Japan, and India. Robert Irwin, the son of the late Australian wildlife icon Steve Irwin, will front the advertisement for the American market. Wellness advocate Sara Tendulkar will appear in ads for India, while Chinese actor Yosh (Shi) Yu, the UK's Lawson, and Japanese comedian Abareru-kun will feature in commercials airing in their respective home countries. The $130 million campaign expands on Tourism Australia's ' Come and Say G'day ' initiative, which introduced the beloved animated mascot Ruby the Roo. In the video, an American tourist loses his phone in the desert—only to be rescued by Irwin. 'G'day mate, just going for a stroll?' Irwin greets him. Looking defeated, the tourist responds, 'An emu took my phone.' Irwin grins and says, 'Well, we better go find it.' Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison said traditionally, tourism campaigns use one famous face across all markets. 'But for our latest campaign Ruby will be joined by well-known talent from five different markets to showcase personal lasting memories of a holiday to Australia,' Harrison said. 'These international stars combine with local talent ... to create bespoke invitations for five markets.' Tourism Recovery in Australia Since the resumption of global travel, Australia's domestic tourism industry has grown with the number of international arrivals expected to reach a record 10 million in 2026 and 11.8 million in 2029. More than 700,000 jobs and 360,000 Australian businesses depend on tourism, while Chinese travellers remain Australia's second biggest cohort of tourists behind New Zealand, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The advertisements will go live in China on TV and online from Aug. 7. 'Tourism is the lifeblood of so many communities right around the country and creates hundreds of thousands of jobs,' said Tourism Minister Don Farrell. Nonetheless, industry experts have expressed caution about over-relying on China. 'China's slowing economic growth, youth unemployment, and property sector instability could hinder outbound travel demand. A weaker yuan may reduce international travel spend,' said Janene Wardrop, principal of event planning business Ascot Event Management, in a previous interview with The Epoch Times. Wardrop stated that the three main risks of over-relying on the China market are strategic, economic, and geopolitical. 'AUST needs to ensure there is diversification,' she wrote. 'AUST needs to ensure they support the China market whilst also building resilience by building their tourism market by product diversification, risk scenario planning, market diversification and to create constructive and culturally tailored marketing to Tier 2/3 cities. 'Priority should be on quality over quantity and attract high-yield, low-impact travellers.'

Big Apple, meet Golden State: The New York Post is launching a California newspaper
Big Apple, meet Golden State: The New York Post is launching a California newspaper

NBC News

timean hour ago

  • NBC News

Big Apple, meet Golden State: The New York Post is launching a California newspaper

The Murdoch family's pugnacious U.S. daily tabloid is headed to California. The New York Post Media Group said Monday that it is launching a West Coast newspaper in the style of its namesake East Coast periodical. The California Post will be a daily newspaper in the mold of the New York Post, with an early cover mock-up leaning in on its usual pun-heavy headlines and culture war interests: Sydney Sweeney with the headline 'WE DREAM OF JEAN-Y.' The expansion of the Murdoch family's business, which also includes Fox News parent Fox Corp., is among the biggest moves since Lachlan Murdoch took control of the media empire built by his father, Rupert Murdoch, 94, in 2023. News Corp., which publishes the Post, also faces a sizable lawsuit from President Donald Trump against one of its other papers, The Wall Street Journal, related to an article about Trump's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The New York Post, which has been publishing since 1801, has remained a conservative voice in an otherwise left-leaning region, enduring the ups and downs of modern media by sticking to its strengths: splashy headlines and aggressive reporting on local crime, politics and sports, along with an avowed right-of-center perspective. California — Los Angeles in particular — has become a flashpoint in American culture and politics. Sizable protests against immigration raids and quippy comments from Gov. Gavin Newsom have made the state a target of Trump's ire. News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson nodded at the Post and its slant in a news release for the California paper. 'Los Angeles and California surely need a daily dose of The Post as an antidote to the jaundiced, jaded journalism that has sadly proliferated,' Thomson said. Los Angeles is home to a wide variety of news outlets, including the Los Angeles Times and many entertainment-focused publications, such as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, as well as newer entrants, most notably TMZ, which is owned by Fox Corp. The California Post will be based in Los Angeles and led by Nick Papps, who was most recently weekend editor at The Herald Sun, a major Australian newspaper and subsidiary of News Corp. He also was a West Coast correspondent for The Herald Sun. Having its headquarters outside the state has not prevented the New York Post from covering California news at length, but Post Editor-in-Chief Keith Poole said the publications will make the state a focus. California 'is the epicenter of entertainment, the AI revolution and advanced manufacturing—not to mention a sports powerhouse,' Poole said in the news release, adding that he thinks the state is lacking in 'common-sense, issue based journalism.'

'Diaper Diplomacy': YouTube channel features AI baby versions of politicians
'Diaper Diplomacy': YouTube channel features AI baby versions of politicians

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

'Diaper Diplomacy': YouTube channel features AI baby versions of politicians

Move over E*TRADE Baby — a new generation of talking tykes is going viral, but instead of stock quotes, they're politicians discussing foreign policy, the economy and bickering in congressional committee hearings. Making its debut on YouTube, Diaper Diplomacy videos use artificial intelligence software to transform some of the nation's most well-known political figures, such as President Donald Trump and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), into irritable infants while using the actual audio from the interviews or press conferences. With more than 67,000 subscribers and over 40 videos, the channel has garnered millions of views and a loyal following through its recreations of viral political moments, starring "babyfied" politicians of both parties. Diaper Diplomacy has recreated videos of a variety of notable figures in American politics, ranging from Trump visiting a construction site with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez testifying before Congress, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., explaining how he discovered and placed a dead bear cub in his car - among others. "Trigger Warning (for everyone): I roast both sides," according to the channel description, "Because let's be honest —our politicians act like toddlers, and it's time someone put them back in time-out." While some videos are for "members only," the channel's creator has widely shared numerous videos as fundraisers for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, allowing "babies to help other babies."USA TODAY has contacted the White House and Booker for comment. But who runs Diaper Diplomacy? According to a bio on "Buy Me a Coffee," Diaper Diplomacy is run by a "regular guy" who is chasing his dreams as a video creator. "[I am] trying to keep my head above water while raising three kids — including a 10-week-old who seems to think diapers grow on trees. If one of my videos gave you a laugh, I'd be super grateful for your support," the bio says. "Every little bit helps me keep making more content (and helps keep my little dude stocked up on diapers)." When recently asked by a viewer in the comments section whether the channel had become a full-time gig, the response was that it's been a "wild ride," and, hopefully, "getting close." "It's not paying all the bills yet, I've got a lot of mouths to feed and actual diapers to buy, but I think within a few months it can," was the response. "We'll see." The channel also touts video-specific merchandise, membership-only perks and access to "Diaper Doppelgänger GTP," the AI tool used to "babify" politicians on both sides of the aisle for $9.95.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store