The Poet’s List was absolutely stunned to learn of the passing of beloved actor, musician and poet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner. We send our deepest condolences to his family, fans and to the poetry community.
We are grateful to have been given the opportunity to connect with him and to share his words. We do not take it for granted.
TMZ first broke the news, reporting Warner died Sunday while in Costa Rica from an apparent drowning.
Just two months before his tragic passing from an accidental drowning, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for playing Theodore Huxtable on the The Cosby Show, gave his final public interview, opening up about how he hoped to be remembered.
“I will be able to leave this earth knowing and people knowing that I was a good person,” Warner said during a May 21 episode of the Hot & Bothered with Melyssa Ford podcast.
Reflecting on the influence of his father, Warner shared, “[My dad] said to me often, ‘You know people love you, and people [are] always talking about your career and your success and all of that, but what really makes me the most proud is that you are a good person.'”
Warner also expressed a desire for his Hollywood career to leave a lasting legacy. After starring on the iconic NBC sitcom, he went on to star in other major series like Reed Between the Lines and The Resident.
“I remember my mother said to me one time that, ‘Mr. Cosby gave you immortality,’ so I know on one lane there’s legacy there,” he said. “But then, because I’ve had this full life after that show, there’s another lane of legacy that I get to leave.”
While Warner hoped to be celebrated for his accomplishments, he also wanted others to take away an important message from how he lived his life, telling Ford he hoped to show people that “with all of the darkness in the world, it is possible to maintain your soul and be a good person.”
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Malcolm-Jamal Warner
August 18, 1970 – July 20, 2025
