Anthony Mackie is remembering his late friend, actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who tragically passed away earlier this year. During a recent conversation with PEOPLE alongside his Twisted Metal co-star, Stephanie Beatriz, Mackie opened up about their friendship and the impact Warner had on him.
Reflecting on Their Friendship
Mackie, 46, expressed how proud he was to have known Warner, best known for his role in The Cosby Show. “I’m proud to say Malcolm-Jamal Warner was a friend of mine,” Mackie shared. “He’s somebody that I knew and spent time with, and just was such a beautiful human being.”
He added that he cherished every moment spent with Warner, making sure to fully engage in their conversations and the time they shared.
Warner, who was 54, tragically died in an accidental drowning while vacationing in Costa Rica on July 20, 2023. His sudden passing left many in the entertainment world mourning his loss.
Mentorship and Wisdom from Icons
Mackie also reflected on his experiences with other influential figures in his career, including the late actor Andre Braugher. Braugher, known for his roles in shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, passed away from lung cancer in December 2023 at the age of 61.
Mackie spoke about the valuable lessons he learned from Braugher while starting out in New York’s theater scene. “Being in New York and that new kid on the theater scene. To have those lessons and those moments… and have that communicated by such an icon in the business,” he recalled.
For Mackie, the key to meaningful connections with mentors was to be genuine and true to oneself. He encouraged others to embrace authenticity in their relationships, sharing, “I always tell people just take full advantage of those moments with mentors and truly be yourself so that that person can see, react and engage with who you are and not some fictitious idea of who you think they want you to be.”
Grief and Cherishing Memories
Stephanie Beatriz, who worked alongside Braugher on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, also shared her thoughts on loss and grief. “Unfortunately, we all go through grief in our lives,” she said.
“And all you really have are those memories.” Beatriz echoed Mackie’s sentiment, advising that being true to ourselves in relationships creates lasting memories that continue to nourish us even after a person is gone.
Current Projects: Twisted Metal
Mackie and Beatriz currently star together in the Peacock series Twisted Metal, a post-apocalyptic action comedy based on the popular PlayStation video game.
Season 2 of the series premiered on July 31, with the first three episodes now available for streaming. Fans can also catch up on Season 1 of Twisted Metal, which is available to watch.
