Having a brief illness, the actor
who portrayed the sardonic Captain Raymond Holt in Homicide: Life on the Street
has passed away.
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Andre Braugher, an Emmy Award-winning actor best known for
playing stoic police officers on the television show “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”, passed
away at age of 61
At the age of 61, Andre Braugher, who played Detective Frank Pembleton in Homicide: Life on the Street and Captain Raymond Holt in the popular comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, passed away.
Having a brief illness, the actor
passed away on Monday, according to his publicist.
Andre Braugher rose to fame
through his role on the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street, which ran from
1992 to 1998. Renowned for his distinctive deep voice, Braugher received
acclaim and an Emmy award in 1998 for his portrayal of the tenacious and self-assured
Detective Frank Pembleton.
However, his most well-known role
was as the witty Captain Raymond Holt in the popular sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine,
where he costarred with Andy Samberg for eight seasons. For his role as the
no-nonsense, Black, and gay boss of the precinct, Holt, he got four Emmy nods
in addition to two Critics Choice Awards for best supporting actor in a comedy
series.
Born in Chicago in 1962 as the youngest of four siblings, Andre Braugher pursued his passion for acting. He secured a Stanford scholarship for theater, enabling him to attend the Juilliard School of Drama.
He portrayed a Union soldier in
one of the first African American regiments in the American Civil War in the
1989 film Glory, which marked his feature film debut. Denzel Washington, who
costarred with Braugher in the movie, won best supporting actor out of the
three Oscars for the movie.
After that, he acted in other
television movies, including reimaginings of the legendary crime series Kojak,
until he made his breakthrough in the highly regarded police drama Homicide:
Life on the Street.
For the 2006 miniseries Thief, in
which he played the leader of a robbery that balanced a risky operation with
personal issues, Braugher was awarded his second Emmy.
During his thirty-year career, he
received eleven Emmy nominations and frequently portrayed police and military
figures, most notably in his adored part on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Other roles included a general in
the science fiction miniseries The Andromeda Strain, a navy commander on the
military drama Last Resort, and a police officer giving inside information to
his disgraced partner on the television series Hack.
He discussed the difficulties of
representing cops on television in an interview with Variety in 2020.
Contemplating his long-term involvement in portraying specific roles, Braugher conveyed, "I look up and I say to myself, it's been so pervasive that I've been inside this storytelling, and I, too, have fallen prey to the mythology."
He highlighted
the inherent risk in the narrative of 'protecting the law,' recognizing its
potential to pave the way for law enforcement to overstep ethical boundaries,
leading down a precarious path. Braugher called for collective efforts to
address this issue, emphasizing the responsibility of police shows in
contributing to these perceptions. Notably, his former co-stars and
collaborators used social media to share tributes in acknowledgment of his
impact.
Terry Crews, co-starring with Braugher on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, expressing, "I'm honored to have known you, laughed with you, worked with you, and shared 8 glorious years watching your irreplaceable talent."
Expressing the pain of Braugher's untimely departure, Crews mentioned the
valuable lessons learned from the late actor. He conveyed gratitude for
Braugher's knowledge, counsel, friendliness, and kindness, extending sincere
sympathies to the family during this challenging time. Crews concluded with
admiration for Braugher, noting that he exemplified what a well-lived life
looks like.
Chelsea Peretti, another Brooklyn
Nine-Nine actor, shared some set-related memories on Instagram, writing,
"Will miss your dulcet tones." I am eternally grateful for having
shared this trip with you. seat ringside.You are the picture of quiet waters
running deep; you made me laugh so hard. I will always treasure the crazy
chance to be your sidekick and our chats, which sometimes involved me lurking
in your doorway and preventing you from leaving.
Playing Holt's husband Kevin, Marc Evan Jackson shared a picture of the two of them together on set with the caption, "O Captain." "My Captain,"
O Captain. My Captain. pic.twitter.com/ekGFz3EUTG
— Marc Evan Jackson (@MarcEvanJackson) December 13, 2023
The actor Reed Diamond, who
costarred with Braugher in Homicide: Life on the Street, recalled their time in
drama school in a statement: "I was thrust into a spear-bearing role in
his fourth-year production of Othello at Juilliard as a first-year student."
Every night, I was in awe of his incredible performance in the lead part. I
followed him to Homicide a few years later and was astounded by his skill and
strength.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine employee Ryan
Case recalled other moments from X, like as editing the pilot: "My
'challenge' was finding takes where he wasn't smiling." We intended to
reserve that for last. It was just so amazing to watch him perform his first
comedic act like a joyful schoolboy.
Case also tweeted, saying, "I probably would've quit this business a long time ago if there weren't men like Andre in it." It is a terrible world without him.
If there weren’t men like Andre in this business I probably would’ve quit it a long time ago. The world is worse without him.
— Ryan Case (@film114) December 13, 2023
In an Instagram post, Grammy- and
Oscar-winning artist Questlove referred to Braugher as "one of my fav
character actors." He wrote, "On the strength of him being a
character, I would commit to a show."
In addition, Braugher recently
portrayed New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet in the drama She Said,
which was based on the newspaper's coverage of the Harvey Weinstein affair.
Together with Christine Baranski and Audra McDonald, he co-starred in the last
season of The Good Fight as the charming attorney Ri'Chard Lane.
In addition to his mother Sally
and brother Charles, Braugher is survived by his wife, the actor Ami Brabson,
who costarred in the television series Homicide, and their three boys, Michael,
Isaiah, and John Wesley.
