“You made the world a brighter place.” - Magic Johnson.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Emmy-nominated actor and cultural touchstone of a generation, has died at 54.
Best known as TV royalty Theo Huxtable for all eight seasons of NBC’s The Cosby Show, his portrayal has been deemed one of the most important and true depictions of a young Black man television has ever seen.
From struggling with dyslexia to becoming an educator, accredited to Warner’s performance, the character felt authentically teenage: funny, flawed, and constantly learning. (The iconic homemade shirt scene is still hilarious no matter how many times you see it!)
During his five-decade spanning career, he became a Grammy-winning recording artist, had a number of TV guest spots, and most recently starred in a recurring role in Fox’s The Resident as Dr. AJ Austin, a deeply compassionate and renowned surgeon. (scene)
A number of his co-stars and friends have posted tributes reacting to the shocking loss:
His 9-1-1 co-star Angela Bassett wrote,
“In this life, Malcolm is what’s known as a soulful artist whose deep commitment to his craft left an impression on me that has never faded. He carried the weight of cultural legacy with grace, and he always made space for others to shine.”
Wendell Pierce shared:
“Art imitating life. Forever youthful, he had a huge capacity for joy but admonished those who did not afford him the respect he had earned with his work. A tragic loss of a man who demonstrated the best in our humanity.”
The world watched him grow up and now has to say goodbye far too soon. He will be missed.
Heartbreaking loss, his work as an adult was as entertaining and impressive as his childhood work. I’ll never forget Theo! Beautiful piece!