Malcolm-Jamal Warner is survived by his family, whom he kept as far away from the limelight as possible. The late actor, who was famous for playing Theo on The Bill Cosby Show, died in July 2025 while on a trip to Costa Rica. He was 54. His cause of death was ruled to be asphyxia from drowning. As fans grapple with the loss of Malcolm-Jamal, many are wondering if he had children with his wife, whose identity was kept private.
Below, learn about Malcolm-Jamal’s family.
The name of Malcolm-Jamal’s wife is unknown. He chose to maintain his family’s privacy through the end of his life.
Yes, Malcolm-Jamal shared one daughter with his wife. While he rarely discussed his child, the 9-1-1 actor opened up about meeting his wife for the first time and how she changed his mind about having kids during a May 2025 appearance on the “Hot & Bothered” podcast.
“So, after being in a relationship for six years, I spent the next two years like a man who had been in a relationship for six years. … I went on this hiatus, like I was cold turkey — like not dating, not relationships, mostly not sex,” Malcolm-Jamal recalled. “So, I was in this space, and I met my wife through a mutual friend. And because I was on this hiatus, I was like, ‘I’m not really dating.’ And our mutual friend was like, ‘Well one date won’t hurt. You know, she could be a really cool friend or a really cool spiritual connect.’ I was like, ‘That’s cool.’”
After pointing out that he was “at peace with not having kids,” Malcolm-Jamal said his future wife told him on their first date that she was “definitely having kids.”
“So, it was great. We are not on the same page at all,” Malcolm-Jamal joked about their date. Less than six months later, he realized he only wanted to start a family with her.
