THIS is the haunting moment when Malcolm-Jamal Warner spoke about his “immortality” and TV legacy just weeks before his death.
The Cosby Show star shared his reflection in a podcast appearance on Hot and Bothered with Melyssa Ford.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Theo Huxtable[/caption]
The 54-year-old was caught in a riptide while swimming in Costa Rica on vacation on Sunday.
His cause of death was listed as asphyxia by the authorities.
But just weeks earlier on the podcast, Warner discussed his life and legacy in a poignant exchange.
The host noted that “life is fragile” and asked him what he hoped his legacy would be.
Warner reflected: “Because I’m 54, I think about that a lot.
“I remember my mother said to me one time that Mr. Cosby gave you immortality.”
Ford jumped in to say: “Facts. That is very true.”
Warner continued: “I know on one lane there’s legacy there.”
He added: “There’s that legacy there, but then because I’ve had this full life after that show there’s another lane of legacy that I get to leave.
“And I’m still working through that.
“There is part of me that I will be able to leave this Earth knowing – and people knowing – that I was a good person.”
He added that he had been talking to his dad the previous day, who told him what made him the most proud is “that you are a good person”.
“That’s wonderful,” the host said.
“But I’m a good person because my dad’s a good person,” Warner added.
“It is possible to walk through this world – and will all of the darkness in the world – it is possible to maintain your soul and be a good person.”
Warner was best known for playing Theodore ‘Theo’ Huxtable on The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992.
Beyond this, he would go on to have an illustrious career in TV and film.
He is survived by a wife and a daughter, whom he has kept anonymous.
In 2023, Warner told People: “I know I can speak for all the cast when I say The Cosby Show is something that we are all still very proud of.
“We share a unique experience that keeps us lovingly bonded no matter how much time goes between seeing or hearing from each other.”
He defended the show despite it souring for many following a number of sexual assault allegations made against Cosby.
Two years ago, he said: “Regardless of how some people may feel about the show now, I’m still proud of the legacy and having been a part of such an iconic show that had such a profound impact on — first and foremost, black culture — but also American culture.”
