World entertainment industry in mourning

THIS week marked a profound loss across the world of entertainment. From Malcolm Jamal-Warner’s multifaceted artistry to Ozzy Osbourne’s pioneering metal legacy, Chuck Mangione’s smooth jazz elegance and Hulk Hogan’s outsized presence in the wrestling ring - each of them have left a distinct mark on global culture.

- TRIBUNE REPORTER

Their careers spanned decades, and their influences resonate far beyond their lifetimes.

As details around each death emerge, fans and colleagues continue to mourn and celebrate their lives. Warner’s compassionate spirit and artistic versatility, Osbourne’s dark, rebellious genius, Mangione’s graceful melodies, and Hogan’s flamboyant showmanship — all remind us that in different genres and fields, they each achieved greatness.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner (1970-2025): Actor, musician, poet; best known as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show.

Warner died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 20, at age 54, due to accidental drowning while on holiday with family in Costa Rica. Travellers on Playa Cocles were pulled out to sea by a powerful rip current.

Although bystanders — including a visiting doctor — and Red Cross crews attempted resuscitation, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities officially ruled the cause as asphyxiation by submersion.

Warner rocketed to fame as Theo Huxtable, the quintessential teenage son on NBC's hit sitcom The Cosby Show (1984-1992), earning a 1986 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.