Jersey City–born actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner dies at 54

Malcolm?Jamal Warner, a Jersey City native best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on?The Cosby Show, died July?20,?2025, at age 54 after drowning in Costa Rica, authorities confirmed.

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department reported that Warner was swimming at Cocles Beach in Limón province when he was pulled into a strong current. Although bystanders rescued him, he was found without vital signs upon the arrival of the Costa Rican Red Cross, and his body was taken to a morgue.

Warner rose to prominence playing Theo Huxtable from 1984 to 1992, earning a 1986 Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series. His subsequent career included roles in Malcolm & Eddie, Reed Between the Lines, Sons of Anarchy, American Crime Story, and The Resident.

An accomplished musician and poet, Warner won a Grammy in 2015 for best traditional R&B performance and hosted the podcast Not All Hood, beginning in June 2024.