By Theo Hollingsworth
The passing of Malcolm‑Jamal Warner hit me harder than I expected. Like many, I grew up watching him as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, a cool, smart, funny big brother figure on one of the biggest platforms on television. As a young Black boy growing up in a predominantly white community, seeing someone with my name, my skin, and my goofy family on NBC every week meant the world. It was a lifeline, a reminder that we were out there, visible, valuable, and vibrant.
What makes it even more personal for me is that my actual name is Theo, and my brothers’ names Malcolm and Eddie just like the sitcom he starred in later. Last year my big brother actually met him and shared that wild coincidence. Malcolm‑Jamal cracked up. This photo of them together still makes me smile.
But Malcolm‑Jamal was so much more than an actor. He was a creative force, a director, a poet, and a talented musician whose love for jazz and spoken word revealed a deep soul and a sharp intellect. I’ve always admired him as a modern-day renaissance man. He carried himself with quiet power and a grounded sense of purpose.
I was recently surprised and inspired to discover his podcast Miles Away, which centers nuanced conversations around Black masculinity and emotional wellness. It’s beautifully aligned with the work we’re doing here at Kingmakers of Oakland. He was still teaching, still uplifting, still expanding the narrative around what it means to be a Black man.
To his family, friends, and the countless lives he touched we send our love and gratitude. Malcolm‑Jamal Warner wasn’t just a TV icon. He was one of ours. We lost a brother, a mentor, and a mirror. His legacy will continue to shape generations.
Rest in power.
