Malcolm-Jamal Warner, actor best known as Theo on ‘The Cosby Show,’ dies in drowning accident at 54

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for starring in “The Cosby Show,” has died. He was 54.

Warner accidentally drowned in Costa Rica, according to authorities there.

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department said Monday that Warner drowned Sunday afternoon on a beach on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. He was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean.

“He was rescued by people on the beach,” the department’s initial report said, but first responders from Costa Rica’s Red Cross found him without vital signs and he was taken to the morgue.

Warner first rose to prominence for his role as Theo Huxtable, Bill Cosby’s fictional son, in “The Cosby Show,” which ran for eight seasons on NBC from 1984 to the early 90s. He was nominated for an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor for the role.

The New Jersey native went on to star in “Malcolm & Eddie” opposite Eddie Griffin, and tried his hand at directing, according to his IMDB profile. His director credcites include episodes of “The Cosby Show,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Keenan & Kel,” and “All That.”

Warner also starred in films, including “Fools Gold” in 2008 with Matthew McConaughey, and “Drop Zone” in 1994 with Wesley Snipes. “The Magic School Bus” fans might also recognize Warner as the voice of the show’s host, “The Producer.”

Besides acting and directing, Warner was a bass player. In 2015, he won a Grammy for the best traditional R&B performance as a featured performer for his work on Robert Glasper’s “Jesus Children.” He’s also taken his talents to off-Broadway plays, starring in multiple plays, including “Cryin’ Shame,” for which he won the NAACP Theater Award for best supporting actor.

His most recent work includes starring in three episodes of “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” as Chief Inspector Bill Houston this year. He also co-hosted the podcast “Not All Hood,” which dives into the different lived experiences of Black people in America.