Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Podcast Cohost Honors Him During Heartbreaking Tribute Episode

Candace Kelley, the grieving cohost of Malcolm-Jamal Warner's podcast, "Not All Hood," paid tribute to the late actor in an emotional episode published on July 25, 2025.

In the episode, Kelley was joined by one of Warner's former co-stars, Jessica Miesel, who also shared a heartfelt message about the beloved actor.

Warner first revealed his podcast, "Not All Hood," with a teaser video shared on YouTube in May 2024. Since then, he, along with his cohorts, Weusi Baraka and Kelley, have uploaded a number of episodes focusing on a range of topics, from fatherhood to spirituality.

In a recent episode hosted by Kelley, she, along with several others, including "The Resident" star Miesel, paid tribute to the iconic actor following his tragic death.

"I was so struck by his endless curiosity and his warmth and his elegance," Miesel said about Warner. "But, mainly, his ability to make me and others feel like an equal. I never felt like he was looking down at anybody else."

Miesel shared that one of her "favorite" things about Warner was "his laugh" and his infectious sense of humor, adding, "... even doing a serious surgery scene and he would add something completely silly to the end of it."

Kelley, for her part, praised Warner, who also appeared in "A Different World" and "Malcolm & Eddie," for advocating for Black actors to play roles that challenged stereotypes.

“He really was on a mission to make sure that the tropes about the Black community are not continued,” she said. “We’d have these conversations because all the dramas on TV are about gangs and the street and drugs and kingpins."

Kelley added, “But a lot of people don’t know that he often turned down a lot of parts in these types of shows. He’d say, ‘It’s good writing, but it’s not a good message.'"

The tribute episode comes just days after the shocking news of Warner's death was first reported. According to a previous report from The Blast, Warner was swimming with his 8-year-old daughter in Costa Rica when they were caught in a rip current.

A police report noted that surfers in the area noticed Warner and his daughter struggling in the water and rushed to their aid. Warner's daughter was brought to shore, followed by Warner himself, who then received 45 minutes of CPR.

An autopsy confirmed that Warner's cause of death was "asphyxiation by submersion." A spokesperson from the Forensic Pathology Department ruled his passing accidental.

Elberth León, head of the Tourist Police for Costa Rica's Atlantic region, later provided more detail on the rip current Warner and his daughter were caught in, revealing the late actor fought ferociously to save her.

“Both were dragged by the current,” León shared with Us Weekly. “They were bathing together and were caught by a rip current. Obviously, as a father, he fought for his daughter, but the current in that area is very strong, and they couldn’t accomplish the objective.”

Many celebrities, including Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx, have shared emotional tributes dedicated to Warner and his legacy.

His "Cosby Show" co-star, Raven Symoné, also posted a heartfelt tribute, saying that "words cannot describe the pain and sadness and surprise that I feel with the recent loss of MJW."

Symoné went on to call Warner a "big brother" before praising his talent in the entertainment industry.

"So gentle, and my heart and soul and hugs, and kisses go out to his daughter and his wife, and his mother," Symoné said.

She continued, "He gave the best advice, he gave the best hugs, and his smile will always be a huge, bright f-cking white smile in my head forever," adding, "I love you, and I know you're watching over all of us now. Bye, Malcolm."

And she wasn't the only "Cosby Show" alum to speak out. Bill Cosby also shared a statement through his rep, likening Warner's death to the murder of his son, Ennis Cosby, who died in 1997.

"It's just devastating," he said.