Reports are circulating that Malcolm-Jamal Warner, known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has tragically passed away at the age of 54. Sources indicate the cause of death was an accidental drowning in Costa Rica.
According to the Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department, the drowning occurred on Sunday afternoon at a beach on the country’s Caribbean coast.
The report states that Warner was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a strong current pulled him further into the ocean.
“He was rescued by people on the beach,” the department’s initial report detailed. However, upon arrival, first responders from Costa Rica’s Red Cross were unable to detect any vital signs. Warner was subsequently transported to the morgue.
Warner’s portrayal of Theo Huxtable created many memorable TV moments for Generation X viewers and their parents. These included a notable argument with Bill Cosby’s Cliff Huxtable about money and an attempt to conceal an ear piercing from his father.
Theo, the only son among the four daughters of Cliff and Phylicia Rashad’s Clair Huxtable, became a defining representation of American teenage boyhood during the NBC sitcom’s successful run from 1984 to 1992.
Warner played the role for all eight seasons and 197 episodes, earning an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in a comedy in 1986.
A lasting image for many is of Theo Huxtable wearing a poorly made, mock designer shirt, sewn by his sister Denise, played by Lisa Bonet.
