‘He was black TV royalty’: Tributes pour in for Malcolm-Jamal Warner after drowning in Costa Rica

Picture of Lineo Lesemane

By Lineo Lesemane

Lifestyle Journalist


Malcolm was reportedly on holiday with his family when the incident occurred.


Tributes are continuing to pour in for The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who has died at the age of 54.

The American actor and singer drowned while on holiday with his family in Costa Rica.

He was reportedly swimming at Playa Grande near the town of Cahuita in Limón province on Sunday afternoon when a strong current pulled him into deeper water.

According to CNN, Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Police said beachgoers tried to assist Warner, but he was later declared dead by the Red Cross.

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‘Malcolm-Jamal Warner was a true, great person’

Fans and celebrities have taken to social media to remember Warner.

Warner’s long-time friend and fellow actor Adam Sandler said he was a great person.

“We had such good times together. I was probably 18 and Malcolm was maybe 17 or 16 – I don’t know. We would take walks, pick up food, talk, play basketball, hang out on weekends and go to parties together.

“He was so good to me as a person. And his mum was amazing to him. I’m sending love to the family. Malcolm was a true, great person – hilarious, smart – and he meant a lot to America,” Sandler told Entertainment Tonight.

In addition to his acting success, Warner was a Grammy Award-winning poet and a talented musician. He was part of the jazz-funk band Miles Long.

Here are more tributes from X formerly Twitter.

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