Malcolm-Jamal Warner, star of The Cosby Show, dies aged 54

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, an actor best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died.

Warner, who was 54, drowned on Sunday while on vacation in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency confirmed the death in a press release.

Warner appeared to have been dragged out to sea by a current while swimming at Playa Grande about 14:00-14:30 local time in Cocles, a town in the province of Limón, local authorities said.

Warner played the son of Bill Cosby in the US sitcom from 1984-1992.

Authorities said bystanders rescued Warner and brought him to shore, where the Costa Rican Red Cross treated him.

But he was declared dead at the scene.

Warner was Emmy-nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a comedy series for his work on The Cosby Show in 1986.

He was handpicked for his breakout role by Cosby on the final day of a nationwide audition.

After The Cosby Show, Warner appeared in several other television programmes including Malcom & Eddie, alongside comedian Eddie Griffin.

He had guest appearances on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Sesame Street. More recently, he played AJ Austin, a cardio-thoracic surgeon on the medical drama series The Resident.

Warner also won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance in 2015, alongside Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway for their cover of Stevie Wonder’s Jesus Children of America.

His spoken word album “Hiding In Plain View” garnered him another Grammy nomination in 2023.