Malcolm-Jamal Warner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
|
|
|---|---|
Warner in 2007
|
|
| Born | August 18, 1970 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
|
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Partner(s) |
|
| Children | 1 |
Malcolm-Jamal Warner (born August 18, 1970) is an American actor. He became famous for playing Theodore Huxtable on the TV show The Cosby Show (1984–1992). This role earned him a nomination for a major acting award.
He is also known for his roles as Malcolm McGee on the show Malcolm & Eddie (1996–2000) and Dr. Alex Reed in Reed Between the Lines (2011, 2015). Warner also helped produce the PBS Kids series The Magic School Bus. In 2015, he won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the song "Jesus Children." Later, he played Al Cowlings in the series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. He also played Dr. AJ Austin on the medical drama The Resident.
Contents
Early Life and Acting Start
Warner was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. His mother, Pamela, raised him and also managed his career. He was named after famous people: Malcolm X and jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal.
When he was nine, he showed a strong interest in acting. This led him to attend acting schools. He later graduated from The Professional Children's School in New York City, a special high school for young performers.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Acting Career
Malcolm-Jamal Warner has appeared in many TV shows and films. His most well-known role was Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. He played the only son of Heathcliff Huxtable, who was played by Bill Cosby. Warner got the role after a nationwide search, chosen by Cosby himself.
Directing and Music Videos
While working on The Cosby Show, Warner also started directing. He directed music videos for artists like New Edition and Special Ed. He also directed episodes of popular sitcoms such as All That, Kenan & Kel, and Malcolm & Eddie.
In 1992, he directed an important public health video called Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS, and You. This video featured Arsenio Hall and Earvin "Magic" Johnson talking about HIV and AIDS prevention.
Other TV Shows and Films
After The Cosby Show, Warner continued acting. He was the voice of The Producer on The Magic School Bus. He also starred with comedian Eddie Griffin for four years on the show Malcolm & Eddie. Warner hosted CBS Storybreak, a children's show that encouraged reading.
He made guest appearances on shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Touched by an Angel. He also acted in films such as Drop Zone (1994) and the HBO movie The Tuskegee Airmen (1995).
Music and Poetry
In 2003, Warner released his first music album, The Miles Long Mixtape. He released another CD called Love & Other Social Issues in 2007.
He is also a talented bass guitar player and a performance poet. He has performed at the National Black Theatre Festival since 2003, where he also hosts a poetry event.
Recent Roles
Warner co-starred in the TV series Reed Between the Lines as Alex Reed, an English professor. His character was married to Carla Reed, played by Tracee Ellis Ross. The show explored their lives as a blended family with three children. In 2012, Warner was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his role in this show.
He played prison counselor Julius Rowe on Suits. On Major Crimes, he played Lt. Chuck Cooper. He also appeared as parole officer James Bagwell on Sneaky Pete and as Dr. AJ "The Raptor" Austin on The Resident.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Personal Life
Malcolm-Jamal Warner had a relationship with actress Michelle Thomas, who played his girlfriend on The Cosby Show. He was with her when she passed away in 1998. He was also in a relationship with actress Karen Malina White for over seven years. From 2011 to 2013, he dated actress Regina King. He is now married and has a daughter, but he keeps their names private to protect their privacy.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Show Off! How to Be Cool at Parties | Himself | |
| 1990 | The Real Story of Itsy Bitsy Spider | Spinner | |
| The Earth Day Special | Theo Huxtable | ||
| 1994 | Drop Zone | Deputy U.S. Marshal Terry Nessip | |
| 1995 | The Tuskegee Airmen | Lieutenant Leroy Cappy | |
| 1998 | A Fare to Remember | Winter Valen | |
| Restaurant | Steven | ||
| 2001 | 15 Minutes | unconfirmed | |
| 2006 | The List | Randy | |
| 2008 | Fool's Gold | Cordell | |
| 2009 | Contradictions of a Heart | Miles Long Band | |
| 2011 | King of the Underground | Malcolm | |
| 2017 | Shot | EMT Jones |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Matt Houston | Johnny Randolph | Episode: "Stop the Presses" |
| 1983 | Fame | Lucas Boyd | Episode: "Ending on a High Note" |
| 1984 | Call to Glory | Episode: "A Nation Divided" | |
| 1984–1992 | The Cosby Show | Theodore "Theo" Huxtable | Main cast |
| 1986 | ABC Afterschool Special | Charlie Curtis | Episode: "A Desperate Exit" |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself | Host; episode: "Malcolm-Jamal Warner/Run-DMC" | |
| 1986–1994 | Sesame Street | Himself | Celebrity guest and director |
| 1987 | Home Alone: A Kid's Guide to Playing it Safe When On Your Own | Himself | Host Direct-to-video special |
| The Father Clements Story | Joey | Television film | |
| 1988–1989 | A Different World | Theo Huxtable | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | Mother's Day | Cullen Sturgis | Television film |
| Tour of Duty | SPC Sweet | Episode: "The Volunteer" | |
| 1990 | Saturday Morning Videos | Himself | Host |
| 1990–1991 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Himself, Eric | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | HBO Storybook Musicals | Spinner | Voice, television special Episode: "Spider Junior High" |
| 1992–1993 | Here and Now | Alexander "A.J." James | Main cast |
| 1993–1994 | CBS Storybreak | Host | |
| 1994–1997 | The Magic School Bus | The Producer | Voice |
| 1995 | Touched by an Angel | Zack | Episode: "There But for the Grace of God" |
| Tyson | Rory Holloway | Television film | |
| The Tuskegee Airmen | Leroy Cappy | Television film | |
| 1996–2000 | Malcolm & Eddie | Malcolm McGee | Main cast |
| 1997 | Moloney | Episode: "The Ripple Effect" | |
| 1999 | Sliders | R.J. | Episode: "My Brother's Keeper" |
| 2001 | Legend of the Candy Cane | Rusty | Voice, television film |
| 2002 | Static Shock | Lester Biggs | Voice, episode: "Duped" |
| Lyric Cafe | Himself | Host | |
| 2002–2004 | Jeremiah | Kurdy Malloy | Main cast |
| 2004 | ... | Episode: "The Bridesmaid" | |
| 2004–2005 | Listen Up | Bernie Widmer | Main cast |
| 2006 | Dexter | Rita's Lawyer | Episode: "Seeing Red" |
| 2008 | The Cleaner | Jason Anders | Episode: "Lie with Me" |
| 2009 | HawthoRNe | Fred | Episode: "Healing Time" |
| Sherri | Kevin | Main cast | |
| 2010 | True Blue | Walker MacRae | Television film |
| Special Agent Oso | Braden's Dad | Voice, episode: "The Living Holiday Lights" | |
| 2011–2012 | Community | Andre Bennett | 4 episodes |
| 2011, 2015 | Reed Between the Lines | Dr. Alex Reed | Main cast |
| 2013 | Key & Peele | Arthur Washington | Episode: "Episode 21" |
| 2013–2016 | Major Crimes | Lt. Chuck Cooper | Recurring role |
| 2014 | The Michael J. Fox Show | Russel | Episode: "Party" |
| Sons of Anarchy | Sticky | 3 episodes | |
| 2014–2015 | American Horror Story: Freak Show | Angus T. Jefferson | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Megachurch Murder | Rev. Hamilton Spears | Television film |
| 48 Hrs Til Monday | Television film | ||
| 2016 | American Crime Story | Al "A.C." Cowlings | 4 episodes |
| 2016–2017 | Suits | Julius Rowe | Recurring role |
| 2017 | Lethal Weapon | David Reed | Episode: "Lawmen" |
| Detroiters | Sebastian | Episode: "Hog Riders" | |
| Ten Days in the Valley | Matt | Main cast | |
| White Famous | Nelson Youngblood | Episode: "Scandal" | |
| 2017–2019 | Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce | Darrell | Guest star |
| Sneaky Pete | James Bagwell | 6 episodes | |
| 2018–2023 | The Resident | Dr. AJ Austin | Director: 1 episode Recurring role: season 1 Main cast: seasons 2–6 |
| 2023 | Accused | Kendall Gomillion | Episode: "Kendall's Story" |
| The Wonder Years | Melvin Williams | Episode: "Happy Birthday, Clisby" | |
| The Irrational | Dustin Atwood | Episode: "Point and Shoot" | |
| Grown-ish | Doug's Father | Episode: "Hard Times" | |
| 2024 | 9-1-1 | Amir | 4 episodes |
Discography
- The Miles Long Mixtape (2003)
- Love & Other Social Issues (2007)
- Selfless (2015)
- Hiding In Plain View (2022)
Awards and Nominations
- 2015: Won, "Best Traditional R&B Performance" – "Jesus Children" (with Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Lalah Hathaway)
- 2022: Nominated, "Best Spoken Word Poetry Album" - Hiding In Plain View
MD Theatre Guide Readers' Choice Awards
- 2013: Winner 1st Place, "Best Performance by Lead Actor in a Play" -Doctor John Prentice in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at Arena Stage
BET Comedy Awards
- 2005: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" — Listen Up
- 1986: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" — The Cosby Show
Image Awards
- 1996: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" — Touched by an Angel
- 2001: Nominated, "Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series" — Malcolm & Eddie
- 2012: Won, "Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series" – Reed Between the Lines
- 2006: Nominated, "Favorite Singing Siblings" — The Cosby Show (shared w/co-stars)
- 1985: Won, Best Young Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy Series – The Cosby Show
- 1988: Nominated, Best Young Male Superstar in Television – The Cosby Show
- 1989: Won, Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special – The Cosby Show (shared w/co-stars)
- 1990: Won, "Best Young Actor Supporting Role in a Television Series" — The Cosby Show
Book
- Theo and Me: Growing up Okay (1988) - ISBN: 0-525-24694-0 (with Daniel Paisner)
See also
In Spanish: Malcolm-Jamal Warner para niños
