While he never revealed the name of his wife and daughter, Warner did share photos and life updates about them to social media before his death.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for playing Theodore "Theo" Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died. He was 54.
TMZ first broke the news, reporting his death occurred in Costa Rica and was an apparent drowning. Per AP, Costa Rican officials said he was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon when the current pulled him deeper into the ocean.
Notoriously private about his personal life, Warner is survived by his wife and daughter, the latter of whom was born in 2017.
While their identities have remained private, he has, however, posted about both his other half and their child on social media.
Warner seemingly announced he was married and expecting back in June 2017, sharing a photo at the time of him and his wife -- no faces shown, dressed in white -- cradling her baby bump (below). He simply captioned the post, "Yep."
Then, in July, he shared a photo of himself holding a baby girl, captioning it, "Peaceful time with family takes on a whole new meaning now...😍😍😍."
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His most recent photo featuring his daughter, meanwhile, was shared in September 2023 (above).
"I've been up and down and slightly out of sorts these last few weeks for several reasons. Two things got me back to where I needed to be. Sunday night for movie night my daughter wanted to watch SING 2," he wrote at the time. "Man, we laughed, bobbed our heads, and I found myself full of joy on the living room couch simply watching a movie with my wife and daughter."
"And yesterday, Labor Day, they had a surprise for me: washing our trucks, something we hadn't done together since the 2020 Covid lockdown. It was my daughter's idea," he continued. "I'll tell you this for free: spending time watching a movie and then washing our vehicles together? Priceless. You can’t pay for genuine love and connection."
"It is my wish that everyone in this world have a loving support system. If you're reading this and don't have it, I'm wishing it for you," he concluded. "Positive outlooks and a happy life do not always come automatically. Sometimes we have to work for it. Sometimes the work is easy while other times takes a bit more work. But it's worth it. Here's to the work. And here's to love that we all deserve to have, whether or not you believe you're worthy of it."
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Before that post, the most recent image of Warner with his family was from January 2, 2021 -- a New Year's photo that included both his daughter and his wife.
"Goodbye 2020! No matter how badly 2020 affected you, it showed what you're made of. You're here. You survived it, even if only barely. Be good to yourself. Be kind to yourself. Love yourself in the way you deserve to be loved," he wrote at the time.
"S/O to Relationships that ended during quarantine, the pandemic did you a favor. Congratulations. S/O to Relationships that flourished during quarantine. You got out of it what you put into it," he continued.
He then added, "And a final S/O to Frosty The Snowman and to these two lovely and beautiful spirits who enrich my life in all the ways I expected and then some. I've always been proud to be a late bloomer so I am eternally grateful to you both for waiting for me to be ready for you and this wonder filled wonderful life we have co-created."
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In May 2018, when the girl turned one, he shared another tribute to his daughter.
"There's something quite thrilling about playing bass and singing Happy Birthday to my daughter on her 1st birthday. And there's something equally as thrilling knowing that the challenges that come w being parents of a newborn has only exponentially increased the great love we shared before our daughter was born. I am humbled, grateful, and inspired.🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
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One month after that, on Father's Day 2018, he said his daughter "stole my heart," before noting that his wife "did steal my heart first."
"As I look back at my wonderful journey thus far, look at my beautiful life right now, and look at the still bright future ahead of me, I know that I am Hands Down one of the luckiest and most blessed men alive," he continued.
In another post, he thanked fans for "sharing in my joy as a father," before acknowledging he never shares photos of his daughter's face.
"She has the rest of her life for that life. Right now I just want her to BE...but it doesn't stop me from BEing a proud papa!" he said at the time.
In other posts, he and his daughter were seen proudly matching in "Daddy and Daughter, best friends for life" shirts, he showed her visiting him at work, and, in another, said that he felt she was "destined for greatness."
See video from one of their "mommy-daddy-daughter dance parties" below and more family moments in the gallery above.
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