During the “In Memoriam” segment at the Emmys, Phylicia Rashad honored her Cosby Show TV son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
The hearfelt tribute moved those in attendance and those watched the beautiful moment.
“He was a beloved teenager in an iconic television series with a world-watched role. And like all our friends and colleagues who transitioned this past year, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, remains in our hearts,” Rashad said.
“Tonight, as is tradition at the Emmys, we remember them, not just for their immense talent, but also for the way they’ve made us believe in something bigger, the best that is within us,” she continued. “And even though they may no longer be here with us, we can all smile knowing that their impact will remain, knowing that their lasting impressions will continue to live on through story, knowing that they touched our lives.”
“Whether you grew up watching them or have just now discovered their brilliance, their life remains in the very fabric of our industry,” she concluded.
Best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died at the age of 54. He passed away on July 20, 2025, from an accidental drowning while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica. He was reportedly caught in a strong current while swimming with his daughter at Cocles beach.
In a recent episode of Issa Rae’s Seen & Heard, Warner spoke about the impact of the iconic show.
When I auditioned for Cosby, I was 13,” Warner said. “I’d been watching, you know, Diff’rent Strokes and watching these kids on television be smart alecks and what have you. That’s what my acting had been influenced by.”
After thinking that he nailed the auction, he quickly learned that everything is not what it seems.
“I mean, I killed in the room. I was getting the laughs, and I’m 13, I’m killing in the room,” he recalled. “And I finished my audition, and everybody was smiling, except Mr. Cosby, and he looked at me, and he said, ‘Would you really talk to your father like that?’ And I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Well, I don’t want to see that on this show.’ “