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The Hollywood star Andre Braugher, who was best known for his work playing police officers on television shows like “Homicide: Life On The Street” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” died on Monday at the age of 61.
Braugher’s Life And Career
Braugher’s death was confirmed to Variety by his publicist, who said that he died after a “brief illness.”
Born in Chicago in 1962, Braugher graduated from Stanford University before attending Juilliard School to study drama. He made his big screen debut in the 1989 Denzel Washington movie Glory, with Braugher portraying the Union soldier Thomas Searles, a free Black man who joins the first Black regiment. From there, he went on to play Kojak’s sidekick in the television movie revival of “Kojak.”
Braugher’s big break, however, came when he was cast as Detective Frank Pembleton on NBC’s “Homicide: Life On The Street” in 1993. He starred on the series until 1998, when Braugher won the lead actor Emmy for his work on the gripping police drama series.
“Homicide” showrunner Tom Fontana said in 2014 that the show had originally began “as an ensemble piece. And it became The Andre Braugher Show. All the writers wanted to write for him because he was great and because they wanted to see if they could screw him up, throw him off his game.”
“He could say so much with his eyes,” Fontana added, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “We’d write these incredibly glorious speeches for him, and then you would see him just look at someone, and we’d sometimes go: ‘Drop the monologue. He’s already sold it.’”
Braugher continued acting consistently after leaving “Homicide” in 1998, taking home a second Emmy for his work in the 2006 FX miniseries “Heist.” It wasn’t until 2013, however, that he returned to mainstream television success with another hit police show, this time playing the uptight Captain Raymond Holt on the police procedural comedy series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” from 2013 until 2021.
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” introduced Braugher to a whole new generation of fans, and it showed that he was just as capable of being a comedic actor as he had always been in dramas. The show brought Braugher four more Emmy nominations, this time for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, with the most recent nod coming in 2020.
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” ended the next year, but Braugher continued acting right up until his death, with IMDB saying he has two projects that are yet be released.
one of the best things watching brooklyn nine nine was looking forward to captain holt’s sassy comebacks and intellectual jokes every episode thank you for that andre braugher may you rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/6w4QX7QXpq
Braugher is survived by his wife Ami Brabson, who played his wife on “Homicide,” and their three sons. A few years before his death, Braugher told reporters that he’d always prioritized time with his family over pursuing bigger roles that could have made him an A-list Hollywood star.
“I’ve got three boys, and I want them to know me as someone other than the guy who takes them to the circus every once in a while,” he said in 2020, according to US Weekly. “I wanted to be there through the course of their life because I know how important fathers are.”
“It’s been an interesting career, but I think it could have been larger,” he added. “I think it could have spanned more disciplines: directing, producing, all these other different things. But it would have been at the expense of my own life.”
Andre Braugher left this earthly realm today at 61. What a terrible loss. His performances in Homicide touched me deeply. I streamed #Homicide before streaming existed. Braugher’s lovely wife Ami Brabson played his wife on the show. I’m thinking of her tonight.#ripandrebraugherpic.twitter.com/BwY1lihkXS
Andre Braugher has tragically passed away at the age of 61, following a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, Ami Brabson, and his three sons Michael, Isaiah, and John.
He was an incredible talent, starring in films including Glory and She Said, and TV shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Fight, and Homicide: Life on the Street. Furthermore, he was a great friend to many of his co-workers. Following the news of his unexpected passing, plenty of those friends have posted heartfelt tributes on social media. There’s a great many of these heartbroken posts—a sign of just how beloved Braugher was.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Braugher left behind a remarkable body of work, but one of the things he’s most remembered for is his role as the hilariously stoic Captain Raymond Holt on the hit Fox sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
One of the most poignant tributes came from Marc Evan Jackson, who played Braugher’s onscreen husband, Kevin. He posted a picture of himself and Braugher, captioned simply, “O Captain. My Captain.”
Joe Lo Truglio, who played Charles Boyle, wrote a long and touching Instagram post that begins, “So many wonderful stories will be told about Andre but for now, all my love goes to his wife Ami and his three boys, who he loved very much and flew back every weekend from the show to be with.”
Chelsea Peretti, who was Gina Linetti in seasons 1-6 of the show, wrote a touching tribute on Instagram as well. “Forever lucky to have gone on such a journey with you. Ringside seat. You were so funny to me and the epitome of still waters run deep,” said Peretti, adding, “Is it weird that I am also grieving for what Captain Holt meant to Gina?”
Terry Jeffords actor Terry Crews wrote a tribute directly to Braugher, which said, “I’m honored to have known you, laughed with you, worked with you and shared 8 glorious years watching your irreplaceable talent. This hurts. You left us too soon. You taught me so much.”
Ryan Case, a director and editor on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, posted a thread about her favorite memories of Braugher on the set. “I remember riding with him in a van to the table read of the pilot and he was so grateful to be there,” she wrote.
There was also love from everyone’s favorite Brooklyn Nine-Nine comedic duo. Scully actor Joel McKinnon Miller posted “Sending love to Andre’s family and friends and all of us who had the honor of working with him,” while Dirk Blocker, a.k.a. Hitchcock, wrote, “I am devastated. I love him. The 9 years I was able to work with him and to just be in his presence was truly a blessing.”
The Good Fight
Some of Braugher’s co-stars from The Good Fight, where he played Ri’Chard Lane for 10 episodes, also paid tribute to the actor on social media. Carrie Preston called Braugher an “acting giant” whose death is “a true loss to the world of acting and to the world in general.”
What an acting giant Andre Braugher was and what an incredibly generous and joyful presence he had on The Good Fight set… a true loss to the world of acting and to the world in general…my deep sympathies are with his family. https://t.co/xXtuSDumlz
And Audra McDonald wrote on her Instagram account, “I cannot process the news of Andre’s passing. He was the most generous, brilliant, intelligent and hilarious soul. He joined The Good Fight late in our run but from day one it was if he had always been a part of our family.”
Homicide: Life on the Street
Many people first discovered Andre Braugher’s acting talents in the ’90s police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street, where he played Detective Frank Pembleton. He co-starred with Reed Diamond, who supplied a statement to The Hollywood Reporter:
Andre was an inspiration as a man, and as an actor. As a first year student at Juilliard, I was plunked into a spear carrying role in his fourth year production of Othello. His performance in the title role was astounding, and I marveled at it every night. Several years later I followed him onto Homicide, and like everyone else, was blown away by his power and talent. But, honestly what I most remember, and have always tried to emulate, was who he was as a father and as a husband. He always seemed to have what was most important in this life figured out. A tremendous loss. My deepest condolences and most heartfelt love to his family.
David Simon, who wrote the book which Homicide: Life on the Street was based on, posted on the social media platform X, “Andre Braugher. God. I’ve worked with a lot of wonderful actors. I’ll never work with one better.”
Andre Braugher. God.
I’ve worked with a lot of wonderful actors. I’ll never work with one better.
Stunned and thinking of Ami and his sons and so many memories of this good man that are now a blessing. But too damn soon.
EGOT-winning actress Viola Davis, who starred opposite Braugher in Live in Front of a Studio Audience in 2019, wrote on her Instagram account that he “went way too soon” and was a “great man.”
Mike Royce, who co-created the Braugher-starring series Men of a Certain Age, wrote on X, “This is impossible for me to process. He was [the] best actor in the world. An incredible human being. An incomprehensible loss.”
Costume designer and two-time Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter said, “Rest in Power Andre Braugher. A powerful actor. My work with him on this project ‘Thief’ was nothing short of seeing pure talent and integrity at work.”
Although Braugher died at a tragically early age, his memory will live on forever, as evidenced by all these tributes from people whose lives he touched. His family has requested that, “in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Classical Theater of Harlem, where Braugher served on the board,” and you can make a donation via the official website.
Several “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” actors shared their remembrances of former co-star Andre Braugher with posts on social media Tuesday evening.
Braugher died on Monday at age 61 after a brief illness, his publicist confirmed on Tuesday, according to The New York Times. The Emmy-winning actor starred in many TV shows and films, but stood out for his portrayal of the beloved Capt. Raymond Holt on hit comedy sitcom “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”
Terry Crews, who starred alongside Braugher as Lt. Terry Jeffords on the show, which aired from 2013 to 2021, was the first of the cast to post a tribute to the actor.
“Can’t believe you’re gone so soon. I’m honored to have known you, laughed with you, worked with you and shared 8 glorious ears watching your irreplaceable talent. This hurts. You left us too soon,” Crews wrote on Instagram.
He added: “You taught me so much. I will be forever grateful for the experience of knowing you. Thank you for your wisdom, your advice, your kindness and your friendship. Deepest condolences to your wife and family in this difficult time. You showed me what a life well lived looks like.”
Dirk Blocker, who played Michael Hitchcock on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” wrote that Braugher was “fiercely intelligent, remarkably kind, supportive, generous and possessed a deep and extraordinary talent, and had even more to offer.”
“I am devastated. I love him,” Blocker wrote on Instagram. “The 9 years I was able to work with him and to just be in his presence was truly a blessing. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family.”
In an emotional tribute, Joe Lo Truglio, who portrayed Det. Charles Boyle, described Braugher as a powerful actor, pointing out that he knew the importance of his role on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” in which he portrayed a Black gay police captain in the New York Police Department, and that he was very proud of it.
Truglio also shared his memory of Braugher often singing during lunch, “belting bassy vocals from his dressing room to whatever new music he found.”
“At first, it was odd because well… *it was Andre Braugher crooning at full volume from behind closed doors*… but then very quickly it made all the sense in the world because the man was so full of song and that’s why the world took notice,” Truglio wrote.
He added: “I miss him so much already. What an honor to work with a man who knew what it was really all about. I feel blessed and thankful. Miss you Capt Holt. Love, Porkchop.”
Marc Evan Jackson, who played Braugher’s on-screen husband, Kevin, on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” kept his tribute short but sweet, posting a photo of the two of them embracing on set with the caption “O Captain. My Captain.”
Joel McKinnon Miller, who played Norm Scully on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” shared a brief tribute sending condolences to Braugher’s family. Chelsea Peretti, who played Holt’s quirky and comedic assistant Gina Linetti, shared her former co-stars’ posts on Instagram before penning her own.
“Love you. Will miss your dulcet tones. Forever lucky to have gone on such a journey with you. Ringside seat. You were so funny to me and the epitome of still waters run deep,” she wrote.
“I will always cherish our conversations, often with me hanging in your doorway barring your exit, and the insane opportunity to be your sidekick,” she continued. “Is it weird that I am also grieving for what Captain Holt meant to Gina? I really hoped and knew I would see you again. Hate that I won’t.”
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At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Our News, Politics and Culture teams invest time and care working on hard-hitting investigations and researched analyses, along with quick but robust daily takes. Our Life, Health and Shopping desks provide you with well-researched, expert-vetted information you need to live your best life, while HuffPost Personal, Voices and Opinion center real stories from real people.
Help keep news free for everyone by giving us as little as $1. Your contribution will go a long way.
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Help keep news free for everyone by giving us as little as $1. Your contribution will go a long way.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the very foundations of our democracy are at stake. A vibrant democracy is impossible without well-informed citizens. This is why HuffPost’s journalism is free for everyone, not just those who can afford expensive paywalls.
We cannot do this without your help. Support our newsroom by contributing as little as $1 a month.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the very foundations of our democracy are at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a vibrant democracy is impossible without well-informed citizens. This is why we keep our journalism free for everyone, even as most other newsrooms have retreated behind expensive paywalls.
Our newsroom continues to bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes on one of the most consequential elections in recent history. Reporting on the current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly — and we need your help.
Support our newsroom by contributing as little as $1 a month.
Andre Braugher, an esteemed Emmy Award winning actor who brought to life characters like Captain Raymond Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine has passed away. It is one of those moments where across the internet, many of Braugher’s admirers are in shock at the sudden loss of the actor.
Braugher was 61 years old and, according to Deadline, died after suffering from a brief illness. The Chicago born actor had an illustrious career, spanning the television series Thief, Men of a Certain Age, as well as films like Duets, City of Angels, and many more. More recently, fans became enamored with Braugher’s portrayal as the Captain of the 99th precinct in the hit comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
His portrayal of Raymond Holt is one that showed so many of us how Braugher’s comedic timing worked to his advantage as an actor and for the show’s 8 seasons, we fell in love with Raymond Holt and his husband Kevin (Marc Evan Jackson) because of how much heart Braugher brought to the role of the character. It was the kind of performance that truly highlighted the brilliance that a performer like Braugher had.
Braugher is also known for his work on the series Homicide, a show that ran from 1992 to 1998 where he met his wife Ami Brabson. In his passing, he leaves behind Brabson and their sons Michael, Isaiah and John Wesley. The outpouring of love that has overtaken social media with the news of Braugher’s passing is a testament to the love that he put into his work and how much many of us truly did love to see him appear on our screens time and time again.
For me, there are so many moments in movies and television tied to Braugher and his talent and our hearts go out to Brabson and the Braugher family at this difficult time. As Marc Evan Jackson so wonderfully put it, “O Captain. My Captain.” I will miss you dearly, Andre Braugher and the brilliance and power you consistently brought to your performances time and time again.
Andre Braugher, the Emmy-winning actor best known for his roles on the series “Homicide: Life on The Street” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” died Monday at age 61.
Braugher’s publicist Jennifer Allen confirmed his death to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and CNN, as well as the trade publications Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. His death was first reported by Deadline. The reports all said Braugher died after a brief illness.
The Chicago-born actor had his breakthrough role in 1989’s “Glory,” starring alongside Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, who won an Oscar for the film about an all-Black army regiment during the the Civil War.
Despite the part, he told The Associated Press in 2019 that he struggled to find work in a Hollywood where roles for African American actors were “few and far between. Period.”
But he would establish himself with the role of Det. Frank Pembleton, which he would play for seven seasons in “Homicide: Life on the Street,” a gritty police drama on NBC based on a book by David Simon, who would go on to create “The Wire.”
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He would win his first career Emmy for the role, taking the trophy for lead actor in a drama series in 1998.
He would win his second for lead actor in a miniseries or movie for the 2006 limited series “Thief” on FX. Braugher would be nominated for 11 Emmys overall.
FILE – Andre Braugher holds the award for outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or a movie for his work on “Thief” at the 58th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Aug. 27, 2006, in Los Angeles. Braugher, the Emmy-winning actor best known for his roles on the series “Homicide: Life on The Street” and “Brooklyn 99,” died Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, at age 61. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File).
Years later he would play a very different kind of cop on a very different kind of show, shifting to comedy as Capt. Ray Holt on the Andy Samberg-starring “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” It would run for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021 on Fox and NBC.
Though he’d dipped his toe into comedy in the TNT dramedy “Men of a Certain Age,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” still represented a major shift for Braugher, who was known for acting in dark and heavy dramas.
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“I just felt as though it was an opportunity to do something strikingly different from the rest of my career,” Braugher told the AP. “I like it because it just simply opens up my mind and forces me to think in a different way. So I think I’ve become much more sort of supple as an actor, and more open to the incredible number of possibilities of how to play a scene.”
He was nominated for four Emmys for the role during the sitcom’s run.
He was married for more than 30 years to his “Homicide” co-star Ami Brabson. They had three sons.
