________________________
Update…Here’s what the latest official details reveal:

Malcolm was caught in a strong ocean current, which led to him suffering asphyxia, according to a report from ABC News.

The incident took place in Costa Rica, and his body was reportedly found on Sunday afternoon.

Malcolm was rescued by bystanders and brought to shore, where he was treated by the Costa Rican Red Cross.

Despite the emergency efforts, he was declared deceased at the scene.

His body was transported to the Judicial Morgue in San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia, where an autopsy is being performed to confirm the exact cause of death.

A second individual was reportedly injured during the same incident. That person was taken to a local clinic in critical condition, though their current status remains unknown at this time.

Warner’s sudden death has left fans, peers, and the entertainment world in mourning. As of now, no further official statements have been made by his family.
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July 21, 2025 — The world has lost a beloved icon. Malcolm‑Jamal Warner, who famously portrayed Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died suddenly at the age of 54. According to TMZ, Warner’s passing was the result of an accidental drowning, though further details surrounding the circumstances have not yet been publicly released.

Warner’s death has sent shockwaves throughout the entertainment industry and among fans who grew up watching him on TV. Rising to stardom in the 1980s, Malcolm‑Jamal was cast at just 14 years old as Theo—the sharp, charming middle child of the Huxtable family. His performance helped define The Cosby Show as one of the most influential sitcoms in television history.

During the show’s historic run from 1984 to 1992, Warner earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, cementing his place in Hollywood at a young age. But his talents didn’t stop there—he evolved into a multi-dimensional artist over the years.

After The Cosby Show, Warner continued his acting career with starring roles in shows like Malcolm & Eddie, Reed Between the Lines, and Sons of Anarchy. More recently, he took on recurring roles in The Resident and FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, proving his staying power across generations.

Behind the camera, Warner also built an impressive directing résumé. He directed episodes of The Cosby Show, Kenan & Kel, Malcolm & Eddie, and more. But perhaps one of his proudest accomplishments came in music: in 2015, he won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Jesus Children,” a powerful collaboration with Lalah Hathaway and the Robert Glasper Experiment.

Off-screen, Warner was known for being a grounded, thoughtful artist—never one to chase the limelight, but always committed to creating meaningful work. His spoken word performances, music, and behind-the-scenes projects showcased his quiet brilliance and deep introspection.

News of his passing has prompted an outpouring of grief and remembrance online. Fans and celebrities alike are paying tribute to a man who not only brought joy through television but also stood as a positive example for young Black men in entertainment.

Malcolm‑Jamal Warner’s death is a profound loss—not just for the entertainment community, but for millions who saw themselves in Theo Huxtable. He brought humor, heart, and authenticity to every role he touched. His legacy will live on in reruns, recordings, and the lives he inspired.

Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans around the globe. Rest in power, Malcolm.

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“The Cosby Show” clearly holds a special place in TV history, revolutionizing the sitcom genre and captivating audiences with its portrayal of the Huxtable family. But did you know that our beloved Whitney Houston was almost part of the iconic show’s cast? That’s right, ‘Ms. I’m Every Woman’ was this close to playing the role of a “Huxtable” child. However, she ultimately turned down the opportunity.

In an interview with “Cosby Show” director, Jay Sandrich, it was revealed that Houston was on the verge of snagging the role of “Sondra Huxtable,” and Whitney supposedly signed a contract for it initially. However, during a meeting with the cast, Jay said Whitney confessed that she couldn’t commit to the show because she wanted to pursue a career as a singer at that time. She expressed her desire to tour and couldn’t see herself being a part of every episode. Jay also vividly recalled Whitney saying, “Well, I want to be a singer. I can’t be in every show. I have to be able to tour.”

Jay said he tried to convince Whitney that being on a successful TV show would likely help boost her singing career at that time, but she still refused. It was a difficult decision for Houston, but she knew deep down that her heart belonged to music. “Whitney Houston,” he said. “She knew.”

As fate would have it, the role of Sondra Huxtable ultimately went to Sabrina Le Beauf, who brilliantly portrayed the “Sondra Huxtable” character from 1984 to 1992. During this same period, Houston’s music career reached its peak, with Grammy-winning success and widespread recognition. Soon afterward, Whitney felt solid enough within her career to venture into acting in various films.

In a 1993 interview with Rolling Stone, Houston admitted her initial apprehension about making the jump to acting. She feared that people would criticize her before giving her a fair chance as an actor. And although Whitney may not have been the greatest actress of all time, she was still able to shut down her critics with her performances in “Waiting To Exhale,” “The Bodyguard,” and more.

Even though Whitney didn’t become a “Cosby” kid, her decision to prioritize her passion for music led her to become an unforgettable music icon. The world will always remember her powerful voice, captivating stage presence, and the enduring impact she made as an artist. Whitney Houston, that’s why WE will always love you queen!

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Ever since Lisa Bonet, known for her roles in iconic TV shows like “The Cosby Show” and “It’s A Diff’rent World,” filed for divorce, fans have been patiently awaiting the news about the settlement. Well, the wait is over! Lisa Bonet and her actor-husband, Jason Momoa, have already reached an agreement just a day after the divorce was filed.

According to new court documents, both Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa have agreed to joint legal and physical custody of their kids. The former couple will co-parent their 16-year-old daughter, Lola, and 15-year-old son, Nokoa-Wolf. This decision shows their commitment to putting their children’s well-being first.

Furthermore, the court documents reveal that Bonet and Momoa have also waived the right to seek spousal support from each other. This demonstrates their desire to move forward in an amicable manner, free from any financial disputes and exes-drama:

“Based upon the division of assets and income as agreed by the parties in the [settlement], the parties shall share the living expenses of the minor children, and neither party shall pay child support to the other,” the documents state. “If the minor children, or either of them, are traveling or vacationing with one of the parties, that party shall be responsible for the children’s expenses for such trips.”

It’s refreshing to see how swiftly Lisa and Jason have resolved their differences. Their willingness to ensure the best for their children and avoid prolonged legal battles deserves a handclap and old school fist bump.

The divorce between Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa came as a surprise to many, as the couple had publicly announced their split back in 2022. In their statement at the time, they emphasized their mutual respect and the love they had for each other, even as their romantic relationship changed.

Now, with this quick settlement, Lisa and Jason can officially go their separate ways, both emotionally and legally. They have both been officially single as of, January 9, 2023. It’s a fresh start for both of them, filled with new possibilities and opportunities.

We wish Lisa, Jason, and their fam’ the best as they navigate this new chapter in their lives.

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In a not-so-surprising turn of events, Lisa Bonet (56) has officially filed for divorce from her 44-year-old actor-husband. This comes almost exactly two years after the couple announced their breakup (hence, our non-surprise), leaving fans wondering about the status of their relationship.

According to new court documents, Bonet is seeking joint physical and legal custody of she and soon-to-be ex-husband, Jason Momoa’s two children, Lola and Nakoa-Wolf, who are now 16 and 15 years old, respectively. What’s interesting is that Bonet listed the date of separation as October 7, 2020, which is a year and a half before they made the announcement that they were no longer together.

Bonet and Momoa’s love story began in 2005, and after more than a decade of dating, they secretly tied the knot in October 2017. However, in January 2022, the couple shared on Instagram that they were going through a “transformational” time in their lives and were parting ways in marriage. Despite the separation, they made it clear that their love for each other continued.

Now, Bonet is taking the step to officially axe their marriage. Despite the divorce, Bonet and Momoa insist on maintaining a strong co-parenting relationship and prioritize the well-being of their kids.

As y’all know, this isn’t Bonet’s first time ’round the block in the divorce arena. She was previously married to rock legend, Lenny Kravitz, with whom she shares their actress-daughter Zoë Kravitz. As for Momoa, the “Aquaman” star has reportedly been back in the dating field, following his split from Lisa.

While fans may have hoped for a reconciliation between Bonet and Momoa, Jason clarified, in a prior interview with “Access Hollywood,” that they are not getting back together. He emphasized that they are family and will be there for each other for the long haul, especially for the sake of their beautiful children.

The news of Lisa Bonet’s divorce filing may be a downer for their many fans who once viewed their loving relationship as ‘couples goals’… but unfortunately, it’s a reminder that even seemingly ‘perfect’ relationships can sometimes face challenges. Even the late, great actors/couple, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee once schooled us on that.

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Remember this kid from the “Cosby Show?” He was one of the children of the Huxtables’ daughter, “Sondra” and her husband, “Elvin.” At the time he was only 5 years old, but now he is a 35-year-old man. It’s always weird- like traveling forward in a time travel machine- whenever we lay our eyes on a kid actor from back in the day who we haven’t seen since they were running ’round on a playground, wearing Buster Browns (only some of our Old Schoolers know about that, LOL). But just in case you need a reminder on how Old School we all are, see how actor, Gary L. Gray, looks today at 35.

REMEMBER THIS SCENE?

THE “COSBY KID” IS ALL GROWN UP!

This is 35-year-old Gary L. Gray a.k.a. “Sondra Huxtable’s and Elvin’s kid” all grown up. It’s incredible how fast time flies, isn’t it?!!

Gray is still acting and has been on many popular projects, including the popular Nickolodean series’ “The Fairly Odd Parents,” Family matters,” “Living Single,” “The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour” (from age 14-27), “House,” “CSI: Miami,” and many other television and film projects.

Gary recently paid homage to the animated character he voiced on the popular hit animated series, “Clifford the Big Dog,” for the show’s 22nd anniversary:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gary L. Gray (@garylgray)

“Happy 22nd Charley. ☺️ Yesterday marked 22 years since #CliffordTheBigRedDog premiered. I absolutely loved doing this show because the cast was incredible. I miss being in the booth with everyone but I love the place this show holds in people’s hearts.” – Gary L. Gray

A while back, he also showed love to another animated character he voiced on the hit series, “Old Parents.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gary L. Gray (@garylgray)

In addition to his voice-over work, Gary is still gettin’ his acting-on in front of the camera as well. One of his most recent projects was on the film, Trace, which is streaming on Amazon Prime.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gary L. Gray (@garylgray)

Other than that, Gary loves spending time with his lady, you can check her out below…

GARY L. GRAY IS IN LOVE AND PROUD OF IT

Gary L. Gray is happily committed to his girlfriend, Cris (pictured above). He always shows love to her on his social media pages and she does the same.

Do we hear wedding bells in the works? Hmmm…who would have ever pictured the Claire’s and Heathcliff’s  5-year-old grandbaby grown up and married?!! I know I didn’t, before today I was still seeing him as the kid who blew his TV daddy’s (“Elvin”) back out, after trying to ride him like a horsey, LOL. Speaking of his TV dad, Gray is the splitting image of his real dad…

GARY AND HIS POPS

ILOSM fam,’ as y’all can see…’Father Time’ is playing zero games. Thanks Gary, for letting us know just how Old School we really are. 😁

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We all remember “Heathcliff Huxtable’s” Pops, “Russell Huxtable,” right? Although he was a prominent actor long before delivering those clever lines to his “Huxtable” family, it’s his The Cosby Show role that is most memorable.

The former Cosby actor passed away at age 91 on November 17, 2017. However, his legacy will continue to live on.

In fact, part of his legacy is his family lineage. What most of us weren’t aware of is that his cousin is a sultry ’80s R&B legend, who gave us some solid slow jams back in the day. She always had one of the most distinctive voices in music and you know her very well if you’re an Old School R&B lover. Get your scroll (down) on to see who she is…

Who’s His Famous Cousin?

She is none other than…*drumroll please*…

The beautiful, late singer, Phyllis Hyman. As you know, “Russell Huxtable’s” real name is Earle Hyman, and he and Phyllis are second cousins. They kept this old school fun fact kind of quiet back then, although I’m not sure why. Maybe they wanted to each build a name for themselves without having to be in the shadow of the other. Whatever the reason, we still thought it was pretty cool old school info to know.

Watch One Of Earle Hyman’s Last Interviews & Learn A Few Interesting Fun Facts About Him

Some of you may recall how “Russell Huxtable” used to oftentimes quote Shakespeare at random whenever he was trying to give some of his wise advice. Turns out, he was no stranger to Shakespeare at all and that the Cosby writers used to write those lines specifically with Earle in mind. They knew he knew Shakespeare like the back of his hand. That’s what he’d studied since the age of 13 and performed over 500 times in theatrical plays. He developed a huge following in Norway because of this and even earned the prestigious Medal of St. Olav for his theatrical stage work there.

Earle Hyman also spent so many years in Norway after The Cosby Show, that he became a fluent speaker of the Norwegian language. Below, he briefly talks about how Shakespeare became his ticket up out of the hood.

RECENT INTERVIEW WITH EARLE HYMAN

And there you have it people! We learn something new everyday around here.

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This R&B singer sitting on Bill Cosby’s lap was 4 years old in this Cosby Show scene. She appeared in the episode titled, “Sleepover,” in 1985 where she played one of “Rudy Huxtable’s” friends. She’s now a 41-year-old international star who has won several Grammys and other awards for her contributions to R&B. See who she is below.

Look closely at the pic and see if you can get in the ball park of who she might be and then find out if your guess was a good one…

It’s “Fallin'” and “No One” hit singer, Alicia Keys! Alicia made her TV debut when she played “Rudy’s” buddy on The Cosby Show. Below is the clip of 4-year-old Alicia Keys getting her acting on…

Just goes to show that you never know what type of potential a child has until you see them find their passion and blossom into an adult. Who would have thought that the little girl in this Cosby clip would have grown up to become a successful singer/musician/actress who has sold over 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide?

By the way the performance (below) that Alicia Keys did with her idol, Stevie Wonder, a few years ago is timeless. Check out Alicia at the Billboard Awards, with Stevie making it do what it do!

-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, Old School news with a new point of view

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]]> https://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/this-kid-became-a-multi-platinum-singer-who-was-on-the-cosby-show-at-just-4-years-old/feed/ 0 118756 https://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/actor-from-cosby-show-and-steve-harvey-show-was-killed-in-senseless-act-of-violence/ https://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/actor-from-cosby-show-and-steve-harvey-show-was-killed-in-senseless-act-of-violence/#respond Tue, 15 Feb 2022 03:09:05 +0000 https://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/?p=118102 Depending on which era you came up in, you either remember actor, Merlin Santana, as “Stanley,” “Rudy Huxtable’s” boyfriend on The Cosby Show, or you remember him as “Romeo,” the student on The Steve Harvey Show who was always trying to...

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Depending on which era you came up in, you either remember actor, Merlin Santana, as “Stanley,” “Rudy Huxtable’s” boyfriend on The Cosby Show, or you remember him as “Romeo,” the student on The Steve Harvey Show who was always trying to mack on the females at the school. What many may not know is that Merlin was murdered in cold blood at the age of 26, in 2002 and the reason he was murdered will make you even more heartbroken and angry at the same time.

He Had A Tough Time Getting Roles

Soon after The Steve Harvey Show ended in the same year, 2002, Merlin had a tough time getting new roles. He was reportedly very depressed about his stagnant acting career, as he attempted to re-adjust back into regular society.

He continued to try to find new avenues to creatively express himself, so he channeled his energy into recording a rap album, which didn’t really take off.

“Hanging Out” Would Ultimately End His Life

While still searching for acting gigs, Merlin would sometimes hang out with his boys and meet women, until that one night when he met the female who would ultimately cause him to meet his death date on November 9, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA. Here’s what happened according to reports:

‘One particular night he’s [Merlin Santana] out with his friend, [Brandon] Adams (also a child actor People Under the Stairs) at a Chinese restaurant when they met up with a girl and her friend. The girl told Merlin that her name was Mercedes. All four of them had dinner and went to a club later that night and hung out.

Later on that evening, Merlin and “Mercedes” had sex and then went their separate ways afterwards. The next day when “Mercedes” was hanging with Merlin he didn’t show her the same attention he did the day before and this fueled something in her.

[Either] the same night or a few days later…Monique met up with some friends of hers, Damien Gates and Brandon Bynes, along with the girl she was with the night she met Merlin. Because she was mad at Merlin for “giving her the cold shoulder”, she told Gates and Bynes that Merlin had raped her and she told in a way that it got her friends fired up. That same night, they went back to their place and got their guns. Gates got a 12 gauge shotgun with a laser on it and Bynes got a hand gun. After retrieving their weapons, they learned where Merlin would be, which was at a house party, and waited for him to come out of the house. When Merlin and his friend left the party, they sat in Brandon’s car for a second or so.

While sitting there they noticed a red laser in the review mirror and both looked back to see what it was and that’s when Gates and Bynes opened fire on Merlin and his friend, mostly at Merlin. Brandon was able to drive off and once he was at a safe spot, he noticed that Merlin was slumped over in the passenger seat. Brandon immediately called 911 in which Merlin was taken to the hospital but later died. The cause of death was a bullet to the head.

The police later arrested Monique (who was really 15 and not of age as she reportedly had Merlin believe) and her accomplices.

Shot By A 12 Gauge Shotgun

It was later learned that the shot that killed Merlin was from the 12 gauge (Gates) and that the handgun (Bynes) never fired a shot because it jammed. Monique only got 10 years in juvenile hall  for her participation in the crime. She will be 25 years old when exiting from Juvenile Hall. Gates got three consecutive life sentences plus 70 years in prison. Bynes received 23 years for assault with a deadly weapon and voluntary manslaughter.’

This is the one of the sickest attempts of revenge I’ve ever heard. Monique King was just a kid at the time of Merlin’s death, but something clearly went wrong in her life to make her capable of telling such bold lies. Simply because Monique was offended that Merlin treated her like a Ms.-hit-it-and-quit-it after she willingly had sex with him on the first night, she thought the man deserved to die over it?!!

Ten years was just a slap on the wrist for the pain she and her accomplices brought to Merlin’s mother, Lea Santana, and his daughter, Melody, who had to grow up without a father. If Monique has served her full sentence, she is probably out of prison now and living out the rest of her life– something that Merlin will never have the opportunity to do. Hopefully Monique King and her accomplices have been rehabilitated, and we can only pray that Merlin Santana’s loved ones have found a way to manage their grief.

-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, old school news with a new point of view

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