33
TopFlash
Malcolm‐Jamal Warner More than Theo, a voice, a face, a constancy
Flashmag! Edition 163 Aout 2025
A few hours after the announcement of Malcolm-Jamal Warner’ s death in July 2025, the networks and telephone lines were abuzz- but in an almost solemn silence. For an entire generation, the name Warner evoked much more than an actor: it evoked Theo Huxtable, the friend, the brother, the mirror of our apprenticeship years. And for many, he embodied an ideal that few actors, even older ones, could have carried off with such calm, warmth and longevity.
Born on August 18, 1970 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Malcolm-Jamal Warner grew up in Los Angeles from the age of five. His parents named him after Malcolm X and jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, a sign of the artistic direction his life would take. He began his career at the age of nine, starring in series such as Fame and Matt Houston, before landing the iconic role of Theo Huxtable in The Cosby Show in 1984, at just 13.
33