Bill Cosby Gives Strong Reaction to Malcom-Jamal Warner Death

Malcolm Jamal-Warner led a more than 40-year-long career as an actor and director in TV and film.

That all came to an end when he tragically drowned while on vacation with his daughter in Costa Rica.

The 54-year-old officially died of asphyxia, police told ABC 6.

Bill Cosby, famous for his star role on The Cosby Show, among other things, said the tragedy brought back horrible memories of when his own son was murdered, according to TMZ.

Before getting into Cosby's story, it's important to first note that he called Warner "brilliant."

Malcolm-Jamal Warner attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

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Cosby's thoughts came via his rep, Andrew Wyatt, who said when Cosby got the news of Warner's death, he was reminded of how he felt when he learned of his own son's death.

He was filming on the set of The Cosby Show in January 1997 when he got a call informing him that Ennis Cosby was shot and killed in a robbery attempt.

He remembered when Ennis and Warner used to play together when they were younger. Wyatt added that Cosby felt the same way when he learned of Warner's death as when he learned of his son's.

Cosby also recalled a time when Warner visited the Cosby family's property in Massachusetts and made his relatives laugh hard than they ever had, Wyatt said.

Bill Cosby attends Jackie Robinson Foundation Annual Awards Dinner at The Waldorf Astoria on March 5, 2007 in New York City.

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Cosby also told ABC News in an interview that Warner "was very professional."

"He was always a great studier, and I enjoyed working with him very much," he said.

Cosby also said Warner "calls here regularly," talking about their close relationship.

"He was very professional," he added. "He always knew his part... He always knew his lines, and he always knew where to go."

Warner will leave a lasting impression for years to come and was a role model for young kids growing up in the projects, many of whom wanted to be just like Warner and have a family like the Huxtables, Cosby told Wyatt.

Warner leaves behind his mother, wife and daughter, all of whom he rarely spoke about in public. But it's clear from at least one post about his daughter that he was extremely proud to be her father and cherished every moment he had raising her.

His acting career began in at least 1982 and lead to a litany of memorable roles, .

Related: Malcolm-Jamal Warner Was Vacationing With Daughter When he Drowned