The general public was shocked yesterday when it was revealed that The Cosby Show actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner had died after a drowning incident. In the hours that passed plenty of fans took the time to acknowledge the late actor's talents, and what his work meant to them. And now celerities like Angela Bassett and more are posting their on tributes to Warner. Let's break it all down.
While there's been debate about if The Cosby Show's legacy was tarnished after Bill Cosby's conviction, Malcolm-Jamal Warner's performance has received nothing but love. And the adoration is rolling in from celebrities now, who are acknowledging his talents and character. Case in point: Bassett's Instagram post which you can see below:
Warner kept busy as an actor until shortly before his death, including working with Bassett on 9-1-1 (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription). She posted about the "unimaginable grief" of losing not only a collaborator but a friend.
Tracee Ellis Ross also posted on Instagram, sharing her grief and love for Warner, with their relationship going back to Reed Between The Lines. Her post reads:
I love you, Malcolm. First I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband. My heart is so so sad. What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant. You made the world a brighter place. Sending so much love to your family. I’m so sorry for this unimaginable loss.
Despite Bill Cosby becoming synonymous with controversy in recent years, he also took the time to acknowledge Malcolm-Jamal Warner's death. In an interview with 6abc he shared his feelings, offering:
You could depend on Malcolm always going to uh the shelter, to learn his lines, to gather his character to come out and be ready. When the news came, it was shocking. And of course, my thoughts went straight to his mother, who worked so hard. She was so wonderful with him.
Of course, he wasn't the only star of The Cosby Show to post a tribute to his late co-star. Geoffrey Owens issued a statement to Deadline about the loss, which reads:
This tragedy has almost left me speechless. Malcolm was a lovely man; a sweet and sensitive soul. I respected him for many reasons, including the fact that he genuinely loved the act of creation. He had the mind of an actor and the heart of a musician. He was generous, too. I did a theater project long ago and asked him to participate; and he was there for me. My heart goes out to his family.
While The Cosby Show cast formed a chosen family, those sharing tributes are also acknowledging the late actor's blood family, an the grief they must be struggling with. Plus there's his generations of fans.
Sherri Shepherd also issued a statement regarding the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner. She talked about their friendship and working relationship, offering:
I’m completely devastated over the passing of my friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner. He brought much laughter and gravitas playing my husband on my self-titled sitcom. He also made two appearances on my talk show ‘Sherri,’ most recently in April to promote his series ‘Alert: Missing Persons Unit.’ As someone who grew up on TV, Malcolm remained one of the most-grounded people I’ve ever met in our business. To know Malcolm was to know a renaissance man that possessed humor, grace, humility and deep cultural appreciation. He was just a good guy! His passing is a true loss to the Hollywood community. He was a proud girl dad and loved his daughter so much. To his family, friends and all who loved him—my heart is with you.
Points were made. Former child stars can sometimes struggle in adulthood, but Shepherd maintains that Warner was a down to earth, good person. Between his character and talents, it's clear that the late actor is going to be very missed.
More information about Warner's death are still trickling out, but we here at CinemaBlend would like to echo these tributes and offer condolences to his loved ones.
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