Malcolm-Jamal Warner (born August 18, 1970) is an American actor. He rose to prominence for his role as

Theodore Huxtable Theodore Aloysius "Theo" Huxtable is a fictional character who appears in the American sitcom '' The Cosby Show'', portrayed by actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Conception Theo Huxtable was based on Bill Cosby's only son Ennis Cosby Ennis William ...

on the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

sitcom ''

The Cosby Show ''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom co-created by and starring Bill Cosby, which aired Thursday nights for eight seasons on NBC between September 20, 1984, until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on an upper middle-class Africa ...

'', which earned him a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the

38th Primetime Emmy Awards The 38th Primetime Emmy Awards were presented on September 21, 1986, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The Emmy ceremony was cohosted by David Letterman and Shelley Long. During the ceremony, Letterman saluted Grant Tink ...

. He is also known for his roles as Malcolm McGee on the UPN sitcom '' Malcolm & Eddie'', and Dr. Alex Reed in the sitcom ''

Reed Between the Lines ''Reed Between the Lines'' is an American television family sitcom that premiered on October 11, 2011, on BET. The series was renewed for a second season on April 12, 2012. It was later announced in August 2012 that Tracee Ellis Ross would not ...

''. Warner also became an executive producer for the

PBS Kids PBS Kids is the brand for most of the children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) in the United States. Some public television children's programs are not produced by PBS member stations or transmitted by PBS. Inste ...

series '' The Magic School Bus'', which is also produced by

Nelvana Nelvana Enterprises, Inc. (; previously known as Nelvana Limited, sometimes known as Nelvana Animation and simply Nelvana or Nelvana Communications) is a Canadian animation studio and entertainment company owned by Corus Entertainment. Founded ...

, Scholastic, and

South Carolina Educational Television South Carolina Educational Television (branded as South Carolina ETV, SCETV or simply ETV) is a state network of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member television stations serving the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is owned and operated b ...

. In 2015, he received a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the song "Jesus Children" alongside Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaway. He later appeared as Al Cowlings on the FX limited series '' The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story''. Warner currently plays Dr. AJ Austin on the FOX medical drama '' The Resident''.

Early life

Warner was born in

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark. He was named for

Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of I ...

and jazz pianist

Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones, July 2, 1930) is an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and educator. For six decades, he has been one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. Biography Early life Jamal was born Fr ...

. At the age of nine, he demonstrated an interest in show business which led to enrollment in acting schools. His career as a child performer later led him to graduate high school from The Professional Children's School in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Career

With appearances and roles on many television shows and films, he landed his most successful role as

Theo Huxtable Theodore Aloysius "Theo" Huxtable is a fictional character who appears in the American sitcom ''The Cosby Show'', portrayed by actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Conception Theo Huxtable was based on Bill Cosby's only son Ennis Cosby. He also gave the ...

, the only son of Heathcliff Huxtable, who was played by

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

on the

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

, ''

'' from 1984 to 1992. Warner auditioned for the role on the final day of the nationwide search and was chosen by Cosby himself. During his tenure on ''The Cosby Show'' Warner turned his hand to directing, making music videos including

New Edition New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 19 ...

's " N.E. Heart Break" (1989), rapper

Special Ed Edward K. Archer (born May 16, 1972), known professionally as Special Ed, is an American rapper and producer. Ed is perhaps best known for the songs "I Got It Made", "Think About It" and "I'm the Magnificent" from his debut album ''Youngest in ...

's "I'm the Magnificent" (1989), and British R&B group Five Star's "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" (1994). He has directed episodes of many sitcoms, including ''

'', ''

All That ''All That'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by Brian Robbins and Mike Tollin. The series originally aired on Nickelodeon from April 16, 1994, to October 22, 2005, lasting ten seasons, and was produced by Tollin/Robbins ...

'', ''

Kenan & Kel ''Kenan & Kel'' is an American buddy comedy sitcom created by Kim Bass. The show originally aired on the Nickelodeon network for four seasons, from July 15, 1996, to July 15, 2000. Set in Chicago, Illinois, the series follows mischievous Ken ...

'', and '' Malcolm & Eddie''. In addition, Warner directed the acclaimed, teen-oriented public health video ''Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You'' (1992), which featured

Arsenio Hall Arsenio Hall (born February 12, 1956) is an American comedian, actor and talk show host. He hosted the late-night talk show, ''The Arsenio Hall Show'', from 1989 until 1994, and again from 2013 to 2014. He has appeared in ''Martial Law'', '' Com ...

and Earvin "Magic" Johnson discussing the realities of HIV and AIDS and the best ways to prevent its spread. He went on to star in ''

Jeremiah Jeremiah, Modern: , Tiberian: ; el, Ἰερεμίας, Ieremíās; meaning "Yah shall raise" (c. 650 – c. 570 BC), also called Jeremias or the "weeping prophet", was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewis ...

'', was the voice of The Producer character on '' The Magic School Bus'' and co-starred with comedian Eddie Griffin for four years on the UPN sitcom '' Malcolm & Eddie''. Warner continued his career on the CBS sitcom '' Listen Up!'' with

Jason Alexander Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor, comedian, host and director. An Emmy and Tony winner, he is best known for his role as George Costanza in the television series '' ...

and was the host of the

literacy Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in Writing, written form in some specific context of use. In other wo ...

-promoting children's show '' CBS Storybreak''. He guest-starred on an episode of ''

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz for NBC. It aired from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart ...

'' playing the role of Hilary's boyfriend. In 1995, Warner appeared as a homeless man on '' Touched by an Angel''. In 2003, Warner released his debut EP, ''The Miles Long Mixtape''. In 2007, Warner followed up with his second CD entitled ''Love & Other Social Issues''. In 2009 he guest starred in an episode in the new TNT series '' HawthoRNe''. In 2011 and 2012, he guest starred in four episodes of the

series ''

Community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, t ...

'' as Andre, the ex-husband of Shirley Bennett ( Yvette Nicole Brown). His character subtly referenced his ''Cosby Show'' past by wearing a " Cosby sweater" that he stated was from his dad. He is a

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

player and a performance poet, and has performed at the National Black Theatre Festival since 2003, in addition to hosting its Poetry Jam. Warner has co-starred in BET's scripted comedic television series ''

''. He played the role of Alex Reed, an English professor married to Carla Reed, a psychologist played by former '' Girlfriends'' star

Tracee Ellis Ross Tracee Joy Silberstein (born October 29, 1972), known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress. She is known for her lead roles in the television series '' Girlfriends'' (2000–2008) and '' Black-ish'' (2014–2022). She is ...

. The couple had three children: Kaci and Kenan Reynolds, Carla's children from a previous relationship, and Alexis Reed, their child together. The show highlighted the couple's ups and downs together as a blended family. In 2012 Warner was nominated for Outstanding Actor in a comedy series at the NAACP Image awards for his role in ''Reed Between the Lines''. In the spring of 2015, it was announced that Warner would be playing the part of Al Cowlings in the crime series ''

American Crime Story ''American Crime Story'' is an American anthology true crime television series developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who are also executive producers, alongside Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Simpson. The seri ...

'', based on the events of the O.J. Simpson trial. Warner portrays recurring characters on multiple current TV series. He played prison counselor Julius Rowe on the sixth season of USA network's '' Suits''. On the TNT series '' Major Crimes'' he portrays Lt. Chuck Cooper, a member of the LAPD's Special Investigation's Section (SIS) and the love interest of the Major Crime Division's Detective Amy Sykes. He also plays the role of parole officer James Bagwell on Amazon Prime's show ''

Sneaky Pete ''Sneaky Pete'' is an American Crime film, crime drama series created by David Shore and Bryan Cranston. The series follows Marius Josipović (Giovanni Ribisi), a released convict who adopts the identity of his cellmate, Pete Murphy, to avoid hi ...

'' and as Dr. AJ “The Raptor” Austin on The Resident OX

Personal life

Warner had a relationship with actress

Michelle Thomas Michelle Doris Thomas (September 23, 1968 – December 23, 1998) was an American actress. She was known for her roles as Justine Phillips on the NBC sitcom ''The Cosby Show'' (1988–90), as Myra Monkhouse on the ABC/CBS sitcom ''Family Matte ...

, who portrayed his girlfriend Justine Phillips on ''The Cosby Show'', until 1994 and was at her bedside when she died in 1998. He was in a relationship with actress Karen Malina White for seven and a half years. Warner also dated actress

Regina King Regina Rene King (born January 15, 1971) is an American actress and director. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2019, '' Time'' magazine named her o ...

from 2011 until March 2013. He is married with a daughter, and has not disclosed his wife's or their child's name publicly citing privacy concerns.Malcolm-Jamal Warner Talks Fatherhood, Marriage & Bill Cosby on the Wendy Williams Show
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Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

*''The Miles Long Mixtape'' (2003) *''Love & Other Social Issues'' (2007) *''Selfless'' (2015) *''Hiding In Plain View'' (2022)

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

*2015: Won, " Best Traditional R&B Performance" – "Jesus Children" (with Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Lalah Hathaway) *2022: Nominated, " Best Spoken Word Poetry Album" - ''Hiding In Plain View'' MD Theatre Guide Readers' Choice Awards *2013: Winner 1st Place, "Best Performance by Lead Actor in a Play" -''Doctor John Prentice in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at Arena Stage'' BET Comedy Awards *2005: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" — ''Listen Up''

Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal en ...

: Nominated, " Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" — ''The Cosby Show''

Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

*1996: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" — ''Touched by an Angel'' *2001: Nominated, "Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series" — ''Malcolm & Eddie'' *2012: Won, "Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series" – ''Reed Between the Lines''

TV Land Awards The TV Land Icon Awards was an American television awards ceremony that generally commemorates shows now off the air, rather than in current production as with the Emmys. Created by Executive Producer Michael Levitt, the awards were hosted and bro ...

*2006: Nominated, "Favorite Singing Siblings" — ''The Cosby Show'' (shared w/co-stars)

Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...

*1985: Won, ''Best Young Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy Series'' – ''The Cosby Show'' *1988: Nominated, ''Best Young Male Superstar in Television'' – ''The Cosby Show'' *1989: Won, ''Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special'' – ''The Cosby Show'' (shared w/co-stars) *1990: Won, "Best Young Actor Supporting Role in a Television Series" — ''The Cosby Show''

Books

*''Theo and Me: Growing up Okay'' (1988) - (with Daniel Paisner)

References

External links

*
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Official Website
Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Twitter
Official Twitter * {{DEFAULTSORT:Warner, Malcolm-Jamal 1970 births Living people American male child actors African-American male actors African-American television directors American television directors American male film actors Male actors from Jersey City, New Jersey American male television actors 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Grammy Award winners CBS Storybreak African-American male child actors 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people