Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Andre Braugher has died at the age of 61.

 

The actor who played deadpan Captain Raymond Holt and starred in Homicide: Life on the Street has died after a brief illness.

Andre Braugher, who played Captain Raymond Holt in the hit comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Detective Frank Pembleton in Homicide: Life on the Street, has died at the age of 61.

He died Monday after a brief illness, his publicist confirmed.

Instantly recognized for his deep voice, Braugher found fame on the NBC drama Homicide: Life on the Street, which ran from 1992 to 1998. 

He won an Emmy in 1998 for his portrayal of the tough, arrogant detective Frank Pembleton.

But it was his performance as deadpan Captain Raymond Holt in the hit comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine that made him most famous, appearing alongside Andy Samberg for eight seasons. 

He won two Critics' Choice Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and received four Emmy nominations for his performance as Hoult, the no-nonsense, black and gay boss of The Precinct.

Born in Chicago in 1962 as the youngest of four children, Braugher studied theater on a Stanford scholarship before attending the Juilliard School for Drama.

His first film role came in 1989's Glory when he played a Union soldier in one of the early African-American regiments of the American Civil War. 

The film won three Oscars, including Best Supporting Actor for Braugher's co-star Denzel Washington.

In the years that followed, he played several roles in television movies – including revivals of the classic crime series Kojak – before his breakout role in the critically acclaimed police drama Homicide: Life on the Street.

A 2010 article in the Guardian called Braugher's character Detective Pembleton "the smartest, sharpest master of the art of investigation". 

He was nominated for an Emmy twice and won in 1998, his last year on the series.

Braugher won his second Emmy for the 2006 miniseries Thief, in which he played the leader of a heist balancing a high-stakes operation with family struggles.

During his three-decade career, he was nominated for a total of 11 Emmys and often starred in roles that revolved around the military and police, including his beloved role on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Other appearances included a cop who gives inside information to his notorious partner in the series Hack, a navy captain in the military drama Last Resort, and a general in the sci-fi miniseries The Andromeda Strain.

In 2020, he spoke to Variety about the complexities of portraying police on television.

"I look back after all these decades of playing these characters, and I say to myself, it's so vast that I've been inside this storytelling, and I, too, have become a victim of mythology," They said.

"Breaking the law, 'defending the law', to quote the police, is a truly terrifying slip. It has licensed, justified, and condoned lawlessness everywhere. 

It is something that we have to pay attention to collectively - all cop shows.

Many former co-stars and creators who worked with Braugher paid tribute on social media.

In a post on Instagram, Braugher's Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-star Terry Crews wrote: "I've had the pleasure of knowing you, laughing with you, working with you, and sharing 8 wonderful years of watching your incredible talent. Proud of it. It hurts.

"You left us too soon. You taught me so much. I will always be grateful for the experience of knowing you. 

Thank you for your wisdom, your advice, your kindness, and your friendship. 

Thank you for this difficult time. My deepest condolences to your wife and family at the time. You showed me what the good life looks like."

Fellow Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Chelsea Peretti also posted on Instagram with memories of the set: "Will miss your catchy accents. Forever blessed to have been on such a journey with you. Ringside seat."

"You were so funny to me and the epitome of deep waters. I will always cherish our conversations, often with me leaving your exit at your door, and the crazy chance to be your partner.

Mark Evan Jackson, who played Holt's husband, Kevin, posted a photo of the two of them on set, writing "Hey Captain. My Captain."

Red Diamond, who appeared alongside Braugher in Homicide: Life on the Street, recalled his time at drama school in a statement: 

"As a first-year student at Juilliard, I was cast in a fourth-year production of Othello. was thrust into the spear-carrying role. His performance in the title role was astonishing, and I marveled at it every night.

 Years later I followed him on Massacre, and … his power. And blown away by the ability.

Ryan Case, who worked on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, shared other memories on X, including editing the pilot: "My 'challenge' ... was finding the place where he wasn't smiling. Wanted to save till the end. 

He was like a school kid doing his first comedy and it was brilliant.

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