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Remembering Malcolm-Jamal Warner: Questlove, Magic Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross & More Share Their Heartbreak

By The Credits  |  July 22, 2025

The news that Malcolm-Jamal Warner passed away on Sunday sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and the world at large, as millions of people who watched—and adored—Warner through eight seasons of The Cosby Show and followed his career after were deeply affected. Warner died in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica, the Costa Rican National Police told media outlets. He was 54.

The reaction from those who knew him and those who grew up watching him was swift. Questlove wrote a detailed, lovely tribute to Warner on his Instagram account. A portion of his remembrance reads: “Seeing myself in every episode through his shoes: like being bad at football, wanting clothes outside of my budget, hiding things from your parents (ear piercings or weed), living in a “respectable politics” house of jazz vs “teen music” —-pssssh Theo being instrumental to a lion’s share of gen x teens to see how a sampler worked!!! Or even singalongs at a family gathering—-him dealing with dyslexia ——he even had me think I too can get by in life surviving on “bologna & cereal” and for the first time thinking about “what does it mean to be an adult without depending on your parents?”

Later, Questlove adds: “Mal Jam was the earliest co-signer of the Roots. He attended many a show way before the world got to know us. All that time talking about music extensively and we never got our chance to collaborate as we said we would.”

Here’s the full post:

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A post shared by Questlove (@questlove)

Magic Johnson shared his thoughts on X. Johnson appeared in an AIDS awareness video directed by Warner.

“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. Cookie and I are praying his family and close friends during this difficult time.”

Niecy Nash-Betts also shared her thoughts about Warner on Instagram. “You were giving me my flowers for my work in @grotesqueriefx, and we talked about how happy we both were in our marriages. Damn friend,” she said. “You were the cornerstone of The Cosby Show. We all loved Theo! Never to be forgotten. You will be missed. Rest Easy”

Eddie Griffin, who co-starred with Warner on UPN’s Malcolm & Eddie from 1996-2000, wrote on Instagram, “My Heart is heavy today… 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. You’ve taught me so much and I thank you. Rest Well My Big little Brother.”

Tracee Ellis Ross, who starred alongside Warner in Reed Between the Lines on BET, shared photos of herself and Warner on Instagram.

“I love you, Malcolm. First I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband,” she wrote. “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.”

onstage at the BET Awards ’11 held at The Shrine Auditorium on June 26, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.

These were just a few of the many people who have responded to the gutting news. Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Tyrese Gibson, Larenz Tate, Jamie Foxx, Taraji P. Henson, Senator Raphael Warnock, and more have taken to social media to praise and mourn Warner, a talented actor who had the rare gift of being as beloved off-screen as he was on. He will be missed.

NEW YORK CITY – SEPTEMBER 26: Actress Phylicia Rashad and Malcolm Jamal Warner attending “Franciscan Games” on September 26, 1987 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Featured image: Malcolm-Jamal Warner at AOL Studios In New York on February 12, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Desiree Navarro/WireImage)

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The Credits

The Credits is the Motion Picture Association's online platform that profiles below-the-line filmmakers and TV creators. Through in-depth interviews and coverage, we shine a spotlight on all the individuals who are indispensable to the entertainment industry and create the films and series we love.