How did Ennis Cosby die? Malcolm Jamal Warner's death at 54 reminds Bill Cosby of his son's passing

Malcolm Jamal Warner's passing at 54 reportedly reminded his on-screen dad, Bill Cosby, of his own son, Ennis Cosby's death. Ennis died from gunshot wounds at age 27 on January 16, 1997. The 88-year-old actor found the news of Malcolm Jamal's demise just as shattering as the news of Ennis Cosby's passing had affected him, per E! News.

According to an ABC News report dated February 10, 2001, Ennis Cosby was changing a flat tire of his Mercedes convertible on a Los Angeles roadway when Mikhail Markhasev, an 18-year-old, shot him in an attempted robbery.

Malcolm Jamal, who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, died on Sunday, July 20, 2025. According to the BBC, the actor was on a family vacation in Costa Rica. He was swimming at Playa Grande beach in Limon when a rip current swept him into the sea.

Some people rushed to help Malcolm Jamal get out of the water and to the shore. Per PEOPLE, Costa Rican Red Cross paramedics tried to revive his consciousness with CPR for nearly 20 minutes, but he was pronounced dead.

Authorities with the Judicial Investigation Agency said the apparent cause of Malcolm Jamal's death was "asphyxiation by submersion".

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Bill Cosby reportedly mourns on-screen son Malcolm Jamal Warner in the wake of his passing

Andrew Wyatt, a spokesperson for Bill Cosby, told PEOPLE that he news of Malcolm Jamal Warner's tragic passing at 54 reminded the 88-year-old of "the same call he received when his son died". Bill Cosby reportedly called the event "devastating".

The spokesperson said Ennis Cosby and Malcolm Jamal used to be playmates when they were younger. Bill Cosby reportedly said his on-screen son, Malcolm, and his late son, Ennis, "were amazing together".

Andrew Wyatt said Bill Cosby managed to address Malcolm Jamal's death despite his grief. The veteran actor and comedian reportedly remembered Malcolm Jamal's artistic venture just before the tragedy.

"He had just done a concert in Minnesota and called Mr. Cosby and talked about it. They spoke all the time. He said 'Malcolm was changing humanity," the spokesperson said.

Some of The Cosby Show costars, including Phylicia Rashad, had reportedly gotten in touch with Bill Cosby to find mutual comfort amidst their grief of losing Malcolm Jamal.

Bill Cosby also reportedly spoke to CBS News correspondent Jericka Duncan on a phone call. Jericka shared the audio snippet where she asked Bill to say what he wanted everyone to remember about Malcolm Jamal Warner. Cosby reportedly said:

"He was never afraid to go to his room and study. He knew his lines and that he was quite comfortable even with the growing pains of being a teenager."

Jericka asked about Cosby's last conversation with Malcolm Jamal, to which the 88-year-old replied:

"Three months ago. What we talked about was something he was very proud of."

Bill Cosby referred to Malcolm Jamal Warner's performance at the Minnesota concert with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. Cosby mentioned Malcolm Jamal had written something, reiterating that the late actor was "very proud of what he had done and what he had said".

The comedian said Malcolm Jamal's written piece at the Minnesota concert was about "living in America".

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Other celebrities, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Jamie Foxx, Magic Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, and a few more, also mourned Malcolm Jamal Warner's untimely death.

Edited by Riya Peter