Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 54, drowned on July 20 while on vacation with his family in Costa Rica.
TMZ reported that investigators said Malcolm-Jamal Warner was swept out to sea by strong currents while swimming in the province of Limon around 2 p.m. Sunday. Warner was pulled to shore by passersby, where the Costa Rican Red Cross attempted to resuscitate him, but he was unable to survive. The American actor was pronounced dead at the scene. Warner's body was taken to the forensic morgue in San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia province, for an autopsy.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner's cause of death was confirmed as drowning while swimming. The actor's cousin, Kimara, announced the sad news on X on Monday, hours before the news was published in the newspaper. "My cousin died yesterday after drowning in Costa Rica," she wrote. "Please be safe when traveling and doing water sports. Remember to wear a life jacket and other protective gear...".
A source revealed that Malcolm-Jamal Warner had an accident while traveling to Costa Rica with his daughter. He died, leaving behind his wife and daughter, whose identities Warner has kept secret for many years to ensure privacy.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was born in 1970 and is an American actor, musician, and poet. He is best known for his role as Theodore Huxtable, the son of the title character, on the hit NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992), for which he earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards. Warner is also known for his roles as Malcolm McGee on the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie (1996–2000), Dr. Alex Reed on the sitcom Reed Between the Lines (2011, 2015), and Dr. AJ Austin on the medical drama The Resident. His other notable roles include Suits, The Resident, 9-1-1, and more.
In addition to acting, Malcolm-Jamal Warner directed music videos and pursued his passion for singing and writing poetry. In 2015, he won the Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the song Jesus Children with Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaway. He also played bass guitar, performed in a band, and read poetry to music.
Last year, Warner co-founded the podcast Not All Hood, the latest episode of which aired on Friday.
Soon after hearing of the actor's death, singer Beyonce posted a tribute on her personal page along with a photo of Warner as a young man: "Rest in power, Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Thank you for being such an important part of television history. You will be missed forever."
Many artists expressed shock at the sudden passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Singer-actress Jennifer Hudson wrote on Instagram: "So heartbroken by this news. Truly heartbreaking! Rest in peace, my dear brother."