(NewsNation) — Fans have been left devastated by the death of “Cosby Show” star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who drowned while on vacation in Costa Rica at the age of 54.
According to People magazine, Warner was on a family vacation in Costa Rica and reportedly drowned while swimming. Costa Rican authorities later confirmed he died as a result of an accidental drowning Sunday afternoon when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean on a beach on the country’s Caribbean coast.
An initial report from authorities obtained by The Associated Press said he was rescued by people on the beach, but first responders found him without vital signs, and he was taken to the morgue.
Here’s a look at the cast of the iconic sitcom and where they are now.
Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby was released from prison in 2021 after his sexual assault conviction was thrown out by Pennsylvania’s highest court in a stunning reversal of fortune for the comedian once known as “America’s Dad,” ruling that the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor’s agreement not to charge Cosby.
Even though Cosby was charged only with a single assault, the judge at his trial allowed five other accusers to testify that they, too, were similarly victimized by Cosby in the 1980s. Prosecutors called them as witnesses to establish what they said was a pattern of behavior on Cosby’s part.
The groundbreaking Black actor grew up in public housing in Philadelphia and made a fortune estimated at $400 million during his 50 years in the entertainment industry that included the TV shows “I Spy,” “The Cosby Show” and “Fat Albert” along with comedy albums and a multitude of television commercials.
Phylicia Rashad
Rashad’s role as Clair Huxtable earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1985 and 1986.
Most recently, she was dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University before her three-year contract ended in May 2024.
In June 2021, when Cosby’s 2018 conviction for sexual assault was overturned, she tweeted, “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!”
She would later apologize in an email to Howard University students and their parents.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Warner’s role as Theodore Huxtable earned him a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Warner was also a bass guitar player and a performance poet, having performed at the National Black Theatre Festival from 2003 onward.
Warner died in July of 2025 when he drowned while vacationing in Costa Rica. He was 54.
Keshia Knight Pulliam
Pulliam’s career began with her breakout role as Rudy Huxtable. She would become the youngest person to be nominated for an Emmy when she earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards.
She also portrayed Miranda Lucas-Payne on the TBS comedy drama “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne,” which is currently in its 12th season.
Tempestt Bledsoe
Known for her childhood role as Vanessa Huxtable, Bledsoe went on to host “Clean House” on the Style Network. From 2012 to 2013, she was one of the stars of the NBC TV sitcom “Guys with Kids.”
Lisa Bonet
Bonet played the role of Denise Huxtable, which garnered her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1986.
Bonet also had roles in the films “Angel Heart,” “Enemy of the State,” “High Fidelity,” “Biker Boyz” and “Road to Paloma.”
Bonet was married to musician Lenny Kravitz until their divorce in 1993.