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A mirror for many black children
Flashmag! Issue 163 August 2025
In a tribute published after his death, one fan wrote:“ Every time I disappointed my mother, I had this little voice telling me that she would have liked me to be more like Theo.” Theo was a mirror, and Warner remained true to that reflection, even as an adult. In an era when positive role models were sorely lacking, Warner embodied the idea that you could be black, cool, kind, funny— and dignified. Unlike other child stars, Warner never seemed overwhelmed by the figure of Theo. He grew up in the public eye and calmly continued to forge his own path:“ I didn’ t want to be Theo my whole life. I wanted to stretch myself, grow, prove my versatility.” He proved it. With Malcolm & Eddie, Jeremiah, Reed Between the Lines, The Resident, Suits, American Crime Story. Playing complex men, far beyond the“ nice guy” stereotype. But he never ran away from his past; he embraced it and redefined it.“ Don’ t call me Theo. It’ s not that I’ m not grateful, but I didn’ t stop working when the series stopped.“ Even in his adult roles, Theo’ s shadow appeared, not as a burden, but as an imprint. An indelible trace of successful cultural work: Theo had so influenced representations of black masculinity that he was now everywhere, even in other characters. Warner died on July 20, 2025, accidentally drowned while on vacation in Costa Rica. He was 54 years old. A distraught Bill Cosby was quoted as saying that“ it felt like losing a son”. A month earlier, Warner posted a video on Instagram. He smiled sweetly:“ If you think about it, there’ s always a reason to smile.” Warner wasn’ t just Theo. He was the man able to carry Theo into the real world, without bitterness, without brokenness. He held the role, but he also held the moral and artistic line that few manage to maintain. He was, like his famous character, a difficult ideal to embody. And yet, he did it, all his life.
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