Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Some Lesser Known Facts About Malcolm-Jamal Warner

• Malcolm-Jamal Warner moved from Jersey City to Los Angeles at the age of five and grew up there.

• He was given his name in honour of civil rights leader Malcolm X and jazz legend Ahmad Jamal.

• Warner’s parents separated when he was 3 and divorced when he was 6.

  

• At 9, he got into acting, which led him to attend acting school and later finish high school at The Professional Children’s School in New York City.

• Warner gained significant recognition through his performance as ‘Theodore Huxtable’ (Theo) in the television sitcom ‘The Cosby Show’ (1984-1992), which aired on NBC.

  

• He auditioned for the role of ‘Theodore Huxtable’ on the very last day of a nationwide search.
  

• Malcolm-Jamal appeared on NBC’s sketch comedy variety show ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1986.

  

• While starring on ‘The Cosby Show,’ Warner explored directing and worked on music videos like ‘N.E. Heart Break’ (1988) by New Edition, ‘I’m the Magnificent’ (1989) by Special Ed, and ‘(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons’ (1994) by Five Star.

• He also served as a director for episodes of several sitcoms, including ‘The Cosby Show,’ ‘All That,’ ‘Kenan & Kel,’ ‘Malcolm & Eddie,’ and ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.’

• Warner began dating actor Michelle Thomas during their time on The Cosby Show. Even after their breakup, they stayed close. When she was diagnosed with cancer years later, Warner stayed by her side until she died in 1998.

• In 1991, Warner lent his voice to the character ‘Spinner’ in the animated film ‘The Real Story of Itsy Bitsy Spider.’

  

• In 1992, Warner directed ‘Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You,’ a public health video for teens. It featured actor Arsenio Hall and businessman Magic Johnson discussing HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

  

• He played the role of ‘Malcolm McGee’ in the sitcom ‘Malcolm & Eddie’ (1996-2000), which aired on UPN.

  

• In 1998, he appeared as ‘Steven’ in a drama film titled ‘Restaurant.’

  

• Malcolm-Jamal began dating actor Karen Malina White in 2000. The duo stayed together for seven years before separating in 2007.

  

• In 2003, Warner began performing at the International Black Theatre Festival and went on to host its Poetry Jam in later years.

• Warner worked in many other films, including ‘The List’ (2006), ‘Fool’s Gold’ (2008), ‘Contradictions of a Heart’ (2009), and ‘Shot’ (2017).

  

• Malcolm-Jamal had a great passion for music. He released albums like ‘Love & Other Social Issues’ (2007), ‘Selfless’ (2015), and ‘Hiding In Plain View’ (2022).

  

• His album ‘Hiding In Plain View’ was nominated for the Best Spoken Word Poetry Album award at the 65th Grammy Awards.

• In 2011, Warner began dating actor, director, and longtime friend Regina King. Their relationship, however, ended on Valentine’s Day in 2013.

• Warner later met a woman through a mutual friend, whom he eventually married. The couple stayed together for over a decade and had a daughter.

• His work as ‘Dr. Alex Reed’ in BET’s family sitcom ‘Reed Between the Lines’ (2011; 2015) was appreciated by viewers and critics.

  

• Apart from acting and music, Malcolm-Jamal was interested in poetry. He once collaborated with pianist Robert Glasper and singer Lalah Hathaway to perform a poem honouring the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

• Warner played the role of ‘Lt. Chuck Cooper’ in the television series ‘Major Crimes’ (2013-2016), which aired on TNT.

  

• Malcolm-Jamal appeared in many other television series such as Sticky in ‘Sons of Anarchy’ (2014), Julius Rowe in ‘Suits’ (2016-2017), James Bagwell in ‘Sneaky Pete’ (2017-2019), Dustin Atwood in ‘The Irrational’ (2023), and Amir Casey in ‘9-1-1’ (2024).

  

• In June 2024, Warner launched the Not All Hood (NAH) podcast with cohosts Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley. The show focused on exploring the lives and experiences of Black Americans.

  

• In 2025, Warner appeared in Fox’s crime drama series ‘Alert: Missing Persons Unit,’ where he played the role of ‘Chief Inspector Bill Houston.’

• On 20 July 2025, Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowned after being caught in a strong current while swimming at Playa Cocles in Costa Rica’s Limón Province during a vacation.

• According to reports, bystanders managed to pull Warner from the ocean, but despite their efforts, he could not be revived. Authorities later confirmed that he died of asphyxia caused by drowning.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner as ‘Chief Inspector Bill Houston’ in a still from the series ‘Alert: Missing Persons Unit’ (2025)