It’s been heartbreaking seeing popular and critically acclaimed actors/musicians one grew up with passing. First, it was Tina Turner, then Andre Braugher, followed by Matthew Perry, and now Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
Any millennial, who watched television in the late 80s to early 1990s, definitely knew Jamal White, otherwise known as Theo Huxtable, the only son of Dr Cliff, and Mrs Claire Huxtable in the globally popular sitcom, ‘The Cosby Show’.
In fact, there were two episodes where Jamal Warner stood out from the rest of the cast, the incident when his elder sister Denise (Lisa Bonet) made him a terrible shirt that is supposed to be an imitation of a brand shirt, after his dad refused to pay $90 for a designer shirt. Then, there was the episode he sought to drop out of school, because he felt, school wasn’t necessary for his future job as a musician. His dad responded by charging him for room and board in exchange for making his own living.
The actor also made his mark in the popular 1994 – 1997 children’s show ‘The Magic School Bus’, as ‘the producer’, the character who answers viewers call post each episode of the show.
But these two shows were popular in Nigeria at the time. Thus, it made sense, for viewers at this part of the world to draw a blank on the actor’s career between 1993 – 1994, and 1995 – 2017, until thanks to the COVID Pandemic and the resulting rise of streaming platforms, he appeared on our screens again in 2018 – 2023 as the capable and no-nonsense Dr AJ Austin in the medical series ‘The Resident’. And as the character ‘Darnell’ in an episode of the ABC series ‘Grownish’ in 2024.
However, it wasn’t until his recent death via drowning while vacationing in Costa Rica on July 20, 2025, that we discovered a whole other side of this artiste – as a poet and a TV and show director.
As a poet, Jamal Warner has four poetry albums to his belt, including ‘Jesus Children’ song, a collaboration with Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Lalah Hathaway, which nabbed the actor his first Grammy Award for Best Traditional and RnB Performance. His ‘Hiding In Plain View’ album was nominated for 2022 Grammy Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.
He is also a director of music videos like New Edition’s ‘N.E Heartbreak’ (1989), rapper Special Ed’s ‘I’m the Magnificent’ (1989), and British RnB group Five Star’s ‘I Love You For Sentimental Reasons’ (1994). He further directed the 1992 teen-oriented public health video ‘Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS and You’ which featured Arsenio Hall and NBA’s Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson discussing the realities of HIV and AIDS and the best ways to prevent its spread; not to mention his directing several episodes of some the sitcoms he appeared in including – The Cosby Show, All That, Kenan & Kel, Malcolm & Eddie, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Indeed, there is a feeling of genuine-ness evoked by the rounded artiste who seemed to have embarked on impactful projects he believed in. Although he may not have been one of the few black stars handpicked by Hollywood to promote, he has kept busy throughout the years working be it on television shows, podcast or productions like ‘Not All Hood’, which discussed Mental Health of African American men.
And the awards which include– 2015 Grammy Awards Best Traditional R&B Performance for Jesus Children, MD Theatre Guide Reader’s Choice Awards 2013 ‘Best Performance by Lead Actor in a Play’, winner, Image Awards 2012 Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, and Young Artist Award for Best Young Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy Series 1985 and 1990 (The Cosby Show), and 1989 Best Young Actor Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special, (The Cosby Show).
We remember Jamal Warner – first, as the funny, relatable teenager, who grew up before our eyes into a handsome and charismatic actor, poet, director, husband and wife – having made his mark in the world, and witness his passing at age of 54. May his soul rest in the bossom of the Lord.
