Jaleel White is looking back on his longtime friendship with the late Malcolm-Jamal Warner, sharing heartfelt memories of the actor who helped shape his early years in Hollywood.
During a recent appearance on “Sherri,” the “Family Matters” star opened up about the close bond they shared growing up in the entertainment industry, revealing Warner was one of the few people his parents trusted enough to let him spend time with outside of work.
White’s comments come nearly a year after Warner died in July 2025 at age 54 following an accidental drowning while vacationing in Costa Rica.
Jaleel White Says Malcolm-Jamal Warner Earned His Parents’ Trust
White said his connection to Warner began through their childhood careers, explaining that their mothers developed a close friendship while both actors were becoming household names on television. While White portrayed Steve Urkel on “Family Matters,” Warner became one of TV’s most recognizable young stars as Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show.”
“Our mothers were close,” White said on “Sherri.” “And you know Malcolm was the blueprint. I mean, he was on ‘The Cosby Show.’ He was Theo.”
White said their friendship grew even stronger after actress Michelle Thomas joined “Family Matters” as Myra Monkhouse. Thomas had previously appeared on “The Cosby Show” and was dating Warner at the time.
White described Thomas as more of an older sister than a co-star and recalled one memorable night when she convinced his mother to let him stay out later than usual.
“I remember Michelle talking my mom into letting me go out with him one night past curfew, which was like a big, big deal,” White said.
He added that Warner was one of the very few people his mother trusted enough to let him spend time with outside of work, something he said always made Warner especially important in his life.
The interview also revisited Warner’s lasting friendship with Thomas. Although they had ended their romantic relationship years before her death, Warner flew to New York to be by her bedside after she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Thomas died in 1998 at age 30. Per People, Warner later shared that the pair exchanged the phrase “Elephant juice,” a private expression they used as a way of saying “I love you,” during one of their final moments together.
White Previously Shared Emotional Tribute After Warner’s Death
White first reflected publicly on Warner’s death shortly after the actor passed away in July 2025, calling the news “very disturbing” and admitting he was “at a loss for words,” according to the Entertainment Weekly.
He said he had admired Warner long before becoming a television star himself because Warner had already paved the way for young Black actors in Hollywood.
White also revisited one of his favorite memories in his 2024 memoir, “Growing Up Urkel.” He recalled joining Warner and Thomas at a music industry party after a live taping of “Family Matters,” explaining that simply being allowed to stay out past 11 p.m. made him feel “grown and independent.”
The memoir also revealed that White once appeared in an abstinence-themed rap video as a favor to Warner after their mothers made the arrangement. While White later joked that the project wasn’t exactly his style and laughed about it still existing online, he made clear the experience never changed how much he respected Warner.
Following Warner’s death, White encouraged fans to remember him for far more than his iconic sitcom role.
“Please remember him as a poet, a Grammy award-winning musician, and an actor who did a lot more than just star on a sitcom when he was a kid,” White said.
