Malcolm-Jamal Warner is best known as Theo from The Cosby Show — a fact that nobody lets the guy forget. "It used to bother me when I was younger," he tells TV Guide Online. "Obviously, when you're an actor, you don't want to be known for just one thing, instead of the variety of characters you can play.
"But as I look at it now, they still call Ron Howard 'Opie' — so I can't complain," the 31-year-old grins. "If he's not bothered by it, I see no reason to be."
Warner reflects more fondly on his Cosby days than he does his four-year stint on Malcolm & Eddie. "There was always a battle going on," he admits. "I think UPN's programming is a perfect example of how they see black people and how they want to continue to portray us. They tend to rely on rehashed stereotypes because they know it works. I think there are various other ways African-Americans can be funny."
Those nostalgic for more dignified TV featuring black performers can look forward to NBC's Cosby reunion special in May. More immediate, though, is tonight's debut of Jeremiah (at 10:45 pm/ET on Showtime). Warner and Beverly Hills, 90210 star Luke Perry both return to series TV in this sci-fi drama about orphans living in a post-apocalyptic age.
Hey, it's clearly not Shakespeare, but it's not a sitcom, either. Instead of a buffoon, Warner gets to play rather a badass on the show, written by beloved Babylon 5 scribe J. Michael Straczynski. "There's so much more freedom when you're dealing with cable TV," Warner says. "I'm doing things I've always wanted to do as an actor that you can't do on a sitcom. With Theo being my [most memorable] comedy role, I tend to gravitate toward more serious pieces now."
