Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s mother says widow terminated her relationship with her grandchild

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s mother, Pamela Warner, has accused the late actor’s widow, Tenisha Warner, of ending her relationship with her granddaughter, MacKenzie Warner, amid an ongoing legal dispute over his estate.

In court documents obtained by TMZ, Pamela criticised Tenisha over what she described as delays in resolving the dispute involving the millions of dollars Malcolm left behind. Pamela said she held no “ill-will” towards Tenisha and claimed she did not understand what was motivating her actions.

She also alleged that Tenisha “terminated” her relationship with MacKenzie following Malcolm’s death in July 2025 while he was on a trip to Costa Rica. The family has also been involved in a dispute over a Los Angeles property. Tenisha previously accused Pamela of selling a home that she said Malcolm had intended to give to her and MacKenzie.

Pamela disputes that account, arguing in her latest filing that Tenisha misrepresented the circumstances surrounding the sale. According to Pamela, the estate did not have sufficient funds to continue covering the property’s significant carrying costs, which she said amounted to approximately $9,000 a month.

The filing also challenges Tenisha’s position that Pamela should receive nothing from her son’s estate. The legal dispute previously centred on Tenisha’s allegation that Pamela was administering the estate according to a trust that did not provide for either Tenisha or MacKenzie.

Pamela has since reached a proposed settlement with MacKenzie’s guardian in an effort to resolve issues involving the child without Tenisha. She is now asking the court to approve that settlement. The competing claims over Malcolm’s estate, the Los Angeles property and the family relationships remain part of the ongoing legal proceedings.