By Nsan Neji
NEW YORK (CONVERSEER) – Malcolm-Jamal Warner (August 18, 1970 – July 20, 2025) was an American actor, director and musician best known for playing Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. He also built a diverse career in TV, film, music and directing.
Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Warner’s estate was valued at about $6 million at the time of his death in 2025. This fortune stemmed from his decades-long work in entertainment.
Warner’s breakthrough role was on The Cosby Show (1984–1992) as Theo Huxtable. His performance (as the only son of Dr and Clair Huxtable) made him a household name and earned a Young Artist Award and an Emmy nomination. After Cosby, Warner led the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie (1996–2000) with Eddie Griffin, and later starred with Tracee Ellis Ross in BET’s Reed Between the Lines (2011–2015).
He also had recurring and guest roles on many other TV series (e.g. Community, Sons of Anarchy, Suits, Major Crimes, American Horror Story and The Resident). You can see where his net worth comes from.
Warner appeared in feature films as well (such as Drop Zone and Fool’s Gold) and lent his voice to children’s shows (notably as “The Producer” on PBS’s The Magic School Bus).
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Television acting: Alongside Cosby and Malcolm & Eddie, Warner’s credits include the drama Here and Now (1992–93) and a variety of guest spots on popular sitcoms and dramas. In The People v. O. J. Simpson (2016) he portrayed Al Cowlings, and he later starred as Dr AJ “The Raptor” Austin on Fox’s medical drama The Resident (2018–2023).
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Directing and producing: Even as a teen he directed episodes of The Cosby Show, and later directed on shows like Kenan & Kel and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He was a producer on series such as Malcolm & Eddie and Reed Between the Lines. His behind-the-camera work also included notable projects like an AIDS-awareness film (Timeout: The Truth about HIV, AIDS, and YOU) that won awards.
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Music and Spoken-Word: Warner is a Grammy-winning musician. He fronted a jazz-funk band called Miles Long, recording several spoken-word/jazz albums (e.g. The Miles Long Mix Tape, Selfless). In 2015 he shared a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance on the Robert Glasper Experiment track “Jesus Children” (featuring Lalah Hathaway). His 2022 album Hiding in Plain View earned a Grammy nomination for best spoken-word album.
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Other ventures: In 2024 Warner co-launched a mental-health podcast called Not All Hood to discuss therapy and community issues. He also wrote a memoir (Theo and Me: Growing Up Okay, 1988) and performed on stage in theater productions. Altogether, his acting salaries, directing fees, music projects and related work accumulated into his estimated multimillion-dollar net worth.
Lifestyle and Interests
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Residence: Warner lived in Los Angeles, California. He owned a hillside house in Studio City (bought in 1994 for about $470,000) that was later valued at roughly $3 million. In later years he even rented this property out for income.
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Music and Performance: A passionate musician and poet, Warner regularly performed at jazz venues. His band Miles Long played major jazz festivals and historic stages (including the Apollo Theater). He released spoken-word jazz albums (mixing poetry with soul/R&B) and won critical acclaim. In short, music and poetry were lifelong hobbies that also earned him accolades (including the Grammy).
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Public Appearances: Warner maintained a relatively low public profile about his personal life, but he attended industry events and gave interviews. For example, he was featured at events like the Living Legends Gala (Atlanta, 2023) and visited SiriusXM radio to discuss his work. Off-screen, he also worked on social causes: he campaigned against teen drug use and supported HIV-awareness projects.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner Personal Life
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Family Background: Warner was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, to mother Pamela and father Robert Warner Jr. His parents named him after Malcolm X and jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. After his parents divorced, he was raised by his mother Pamela (who later became his manager).
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Past Relationships: During his career he had several high-profile relationships. He dated Cosby Show co-star Michelle Thomas (1988–1994); after her 1998 death her mother confirmed their close bond. He later dated actress Karen Malina White (1997–2005) and Regina King (2011–2013).
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Marriage and Children: Warner largely kept his private life secret. It was reported that he quietly married between 2016–2017 to a woman who is a Connecticut-based attorney. In June 2017 they welcomed a daughter (it was later confirmed he shared a photo of the newborn that year). He deliberately did not reveal his wife’s or daughter’s names in public.
Warner died at the age of 54 during a family vacation in Costa Rica, on 20th July 2025; he was swimming at Playa Cocles, Limón Province, when he was caught in a high current. His death was officially ruled as asphyxia due to drowning by Costa Rican authorities.
May his soul rest in peace (R.I.P).
