Bill Cosby has spoken out about the sudden death of his former co-star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, saying that the news has brought back memories of when his son was murdered
Bill Cosby has spoken out following the devastating news of Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s tragic death, revealing it has brought back painful memories of his own son’s murder.
Malcolm-Jamal’s unexpected death from accidental drowning during a family holiday in Costa Rica was confirmed on Monday, July 21.
Bill’s representative, Andrew Wyatt, revealed to TMZ that receiving the call about Malcolm-Jamal’s death transported Bill back to the moment he learned his son Ennis Cosby had been fatally shot during a botched robbery whilst he was working in the studio filming The Cosby Show in January.
Andrew explained that Malcolm-Jamal’s passing had an identical impact on Bill as his son’s tragic murder in 1997.
The Resident star had played alongside Ennis during their childhood years and “were amazing together.”, reports the Mirror US.
Cosby Show days
Bill and Malcolm-Jamal collaborated on The Cosby Show, portraying father and son on screen.
The publication reported they were informed that during Bill’s final conversation with Malcolm-Jamal, the late 54 year old was buzzing with enthusiasm about an upcoming major concert in Minneapolis and “felt like he was changing the world.”
Andrew went on to share how Bill fondly recalls Malcolm-Jamal’s visit to the Cosby family estate in Massachusetts and how he had Bill’s relatives in stitches during his stay.
Bill’s spokesperson stated that Bill believes Malcolm-Jamal left an enduring mark on both his acting profession and personal life that will continue to inspire change across the globe.
Bill allegedly remarked that every young lad growing up in the projects during that era aspired to be like Malcolm-Jamal and possess a family similar to the Huxtables. The Cosby Show chronicled the lives of the Huxtables, an affluent middle-class Black American family residing in Brooklyn, New York.
Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad portrayed the head of the household as Cliff and Clair Huxtable respectively. Malcolm-Jamal played Theo Huxtable, the sole son amongst the five children, in this acclaimed sitcom that aired for eight seasons from 1984 to 1992.
Malcolm-Jamal’s relationship with Bill
Bill and Malcolm-Jamal shared a complicated relationship, particularly after the 88 year old’s sexual assault allegations and subsequent conviction emerged. In 2015, numerous allegations accusing Bill of sexual assault from multiple women became public knowledge.
The disgraced comedian was found guilty in 2018 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault and was handed a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars. However, in 2021, Pennsylvania’s State Supreme Court overturned the conviction, resulting in his release from prison.
Throughout the years, Malcolm-Jamal has voiced his mixed feelings regarding the allegations against Bill and his conviction. Following the public emergence of accusations against Bill in 2015, he described how “painful” the situation was.
“He’s one of my mentors, and he’s been very influential and played a big role in my life as a friend and mentor,’ Malcolm-Jamal told Billboard. “Just as it’s painful to hear any woman talk about sexual assault, whether true or not, it’s just as painful to watch my friend and mentor go through this. ” He continued: “I can’t really speak on any of the allegations because obviously, I was not there.
“The Bill Cosby I know has been great to me and great for a lot of people…What he’s done for comedy and television has been legendary and history-making. What he’s done for the black community and education has been invaluable.
“That’s the Bill Cosby I know. I can’t speak on the other stuff.”
Final word
His final public discussion about the accusations came in 2023 during a chat with journalist Jemele Hill, who questioned whether he felt “resentful” that Bill’s circumstances affected the cast of The Cosby Show and the programme’s reputation.
“No. Not resentment … I get how this business works, for one,” he said.
“And just that whole situation is so layered, man.
“I can’t defend him or his actions at all. But I also can’t throw him under the bus completely,” Malcolm-Warner went on. “Because I have an understanding of all the layers.
“It’s so complex and it’s so many shades of gray, that most people will never get. There is the piece of the financial hit that we all took but also it hasn’t really affected my career.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
