Sporting a Dodgers baseball cap with a daffodil his daughter gave him tucked behind his ear, Malcolm-Jamal Warner reminded his Instagram followers to smile. This was one of the last videos he ever posted.
Just weeks before his death, Warner was on a drive on a sunny Atlanta day, his daughter’s birthday, when he recorded what was meant to be an uplifting message to “spread some love.” His words now seem to fans spookily prescient.
“No matter what’s going on, there’s always a reason to smile,” the actor and Grammy-winning singer told his followers. “You know, life is out here lifin’ ” Warner said, acknowledging life’s vicissitudes. “I guarantee you can find at least one reason to smile. If you can’t find a reason to smile, then that’s probably the best time to be the reason for somebody else’s smile,” he said, smiling knowingly. “Peace and love. I’ll be back soon.”
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The 54-year-old actor, who played Theodore Huxtable on The Cosby Show, was on a family vacation in Costa Rico on Sunday when he was caught unaware by a current while swimming at Playa Cocles. By the time fellow beach-goers pulled Warner back to shore, he had already drowned, the Associated Press reports.
Warner was just 14 years old when he got his big break in The Cosby Show. Warner has repeatedly shared his gratitude for being a part of the show, even after Bill Cosby’s sexual assault allegations threatened to tarnish its reputation.
“Regardless of how some people may feel about the show now, I’m still proud of the legacy and having been a part of such an iconic show that had such a profound impact on — first and foremost, Black culture — but also American culture,” Warner told People in 2023.
Warner’s career was far from over when the show aired its last episode in 1992. He went on to star in the sitcoms Malcolm & Eddie and Reed Between the Lines, and had recurring roles in many shows, including Suits, The People v. O.J. Simpson, and Community.
Warner was also well-received as a poet. In 2015, he won a Grammy for contributing a performance of a poem he wrote for a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Jesus Children of America,” which was dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre.
In 2022, his spoken word poetry album Hiding in Plain View was nominated for a Grammy. Warner largely kept his personal life out of public view, though he frequently posted sunny messages of gratitude on his Instagram.
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the location of Warner’s death. It was in Costa Rica, not Puerto Rico.
