The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who tragically died this week at the age of 54, broke his silence on the sexual assault allegations made against Bill Cosby
Prior to his tragic drowning death, Malcolm-Jamal Warner had finally broken his silence about his complex emotions regarding Bill Cosby, nearly ten years after the comedian faced accusations of drugging and sexually assaulting over 50 women.
Although Warner, who passed away this week aged 54, had remained largely silent about the claims, he recently shared his thoughts during an interview with journalist Jemele Hill.
Hill directly questioned Warner about how Cosby’s criminal history had impacted his own income from The Cosby Show and whether he harboured any bitterness.
“No. I get how this business works. For one, and just that whole situation is so layered, man,” Warner responded. “I can’t defend him or his actions at all. But I also can’t throw him under the bus completely.”
Warner gained fame portraying Theo Huxtable on the beloved sitcom which ran from 1984 to 1992, reports the Mirror US.
He received an Emmy nomination for his performance in 1986 and also presented Saturday Night Live during the same year.
Cosby’s legal troubles began in 2014 and 2015, when numerous women stepped forward with shocking sexual assault allegations, alleging the now-88 year old had drugged them before attacking them.
CNN reported that Cosby was convicted in 2018 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault and received a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars.
The conviction was subsequently overturned in 2021 by Pennsylvania’s State Supreme Court, though Cosby’s reputation had already been severely tarnished and The Cosby Show’s syndication broadcasts had ceased. Despite the controversy, Warner insisted that the situation is more nuanced than the public often recognises.
“Like, it’s so complex and it’s so many shades of gray, that most people will never get,” he explained.
In 2018, Warner told the New York Post, “I can understand why some people can’t watch the show and enjoy it because of everything that’s going on now. But, I think…there’s a generation of young people who have pursued higher education or have started loving families because of the influence of that show.
“So it’s kind of like, you can’t discount its impact on television culture and American culture,” he added.
Warner remained in the public eye throughout the years, featuring in sitcoms such as Malcolm and Eddie and taking on serious roles, most recently appearing in FOX’s The Resident.
Beyond acting, he also secured a Grammy for Best Traditional RandB Performance for his hit track “Jesus Children” with the Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Lalah Hathaway, which was presented in 2015.
The actor perished tragically in Costa Rica whilst on a family holiday. Costa Rican National Police confirmed to ABC News that Warner drowned close to Cocles beach in Limon, Costa Rica.
They revealed that he was swept away by a rip current in the water and was discovered Sunday afternoon.