Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s “Cosby Show” family is mourning his death.
Warner
died at age 54
on Sunday, July 20, after drowning near a beach in Limón, Costa Rica. The actor was best known for playing Theodore Huxtable on all eight seasons of “The Cosby Show,” which aired from 1984-1992.
Bill Cosby, who played Warner’s father, Dr. Cliff Huxtable, spoke to
CBS News
’ Jericka Duncan about Warner on Monday, July 21.
“He was never afraid to go to his room and study. He knew his lines, and he was quite comfortable, even with the growing pains of being a teenager,” Cosby said of working with Warner.
The onscreen father-son duo kept in touch long after “The Cosby Show” ended. Cosby told CBS News that he last talked to Warner “three months ago.” Cosby also shared that he spoke to Phylicia Rashad, who played his wife Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” about Warner’s passing.
“We were embracing each other over the phone about a dearly beloved friend,” he said.
Warner noted during a 2015 interview with
Billboard
that Cosby was “a friend and mentor” to him and that it was “painful to watch” him navigate his sexual assault scandal.
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“I can’t really speak on any of the allegations because obviously, I was not there,” Warner said at the time. “The Bill Cosby I know has been great to me and great for a lot of people. 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.”
More than 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual assalt and misconduct. He served three years in prison after being
convicted of aggravated sexual assault
in 2018. The conviction was later
overturned on appeal
. Cosby continues to deny all the allegations.
Cosby isn’t the only member of Warner’s TV family who has publicly mourned his death. Geoffrey Owens, who joined the cast of “The Cosby Show” as Elvin Tibideaux during season 2, also shared a tribute.
“This tragedy has almost left me speechless,” Owens said in a statement to
Deadline
. “Malcolm was a lovely man; a sweet and sensitive soul. I respected him for many reasons, including the fact that he genuinely loved the act of creation. He had the mind of an actor and the heart of a musician. He was generous, too. I did a theater project long ago and asked him to participate; and he was there for me. My heart goes out to his family.”
Warner is survived by his wife and daughter, the latter of whom was born in 2017.
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