Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s mother, Pamela Warner, claims her late son’s widow, Tenisha Warner, cut off her relationship with granddaughter MacKenzie Warner as their dispute over the actor’s estate continues. The Warner estate dispute follows Tenisha’s lawsuit over the family trust and a proposed settlement Pamela previously reached with MacKenzie’s court-appointed representatives.
TMZ reported that Pamela made the allegation in new court filings while asking a judge to approve the settlement involving MacKenzie. Pamela said she has no “ill-will” toward Tenisha and does not understand what is driving her actions.
According to the filing, Pamela claims Tenisha “terminated” her relationship with MacKenzie following Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death in July 2025. The actor died at 54 after drowning while on a trip to Costa Rica.
The family has been involved in competing legal claims over Warner’s estate for months. Tenisha previously sued Pamela, who serves as trustee of the Warner Family Trust, alleging Malcolm failed to fulfill financial commitments contained in a prenuptial agreement they signed before marrying in 2022.
Tenisha has also accused Pamela of selling a Los Angeles home that she says Malcolm intended for her and MacKenzie. Pamela disputes that account, saying the estate could not continue paying roughly $9,000 a month in carrying costs on the property.
Pamela has separately argued that her son intended for her to receive part of his estate and says she attempted to resolve the dispute privately. She later reached an agreement with MacKenzie’s court-appointed guardian that would direct the majority remainder of the trust and estate to the child, subject to court approval.
Tenisha has challenged how the estate has been handled and has argued that Malcolm intended to provide for both her and their daughter. None of the competing claims about the family’s intentions or conduct have been finally resolved by the court.
