Andre Braugher, Star Of Brooklyn Nine-Nine And Homicide: Life On The Street, Dies At 61
Andre Braugher, the two-time Emmy-winning actor who led a sense of grace, gravitas, and (when appropriate) humor to shows like "Homicide: Life on the Street," "Men of a Certain Age," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," and "The Good Fight" has died. Deadline confirms that the actor passed away Monday, December 11, at 61 years old. A recent report in The Hollywood Reporter revealed the cause of death was lung cancer.
Braugher was reportedly born and raised in Chicago to an equipment operator father and a postal worker mother but attended Stanford University before graduating from Juilliard's drama school. His first on-screen role was a big one: Braugher played a Union soldier in the 1989 film "Glory," where he acted alongside greats like Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman. The actor soon became a creative force in his own right, as his role as Detective Frank Pembleton on the seminal NBC series "Homicide: Life on the Street" made him a household name for TV fans. "We had a lot of great, incredibly talented actors on that show, but we could see that he would be the quarterback of the team," series executive producer Tom Fontana told Variety in 2020. "He has great nobility about him."
The actor won an Emmy for the series in 1998 and would go on to win another for the 2006 crime miniseries "Thief," in which he played a heist leader. After "Homicide: Life on the Streets," Braugher continued to choose roles wisely, and every show and film he appeared in was made better by his presence. In Ray Romano's "Men of A Certain Age," he held his own opposite Romano and Scott Bakula and proved he had the comedic chops that he'd later show off across eight seasons of the police force sitcom "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." As deadpan, openly gay police Captain Raymond Holt, Braugher could frequently push episodes from funny to gut-bustingly hilarious — sometimes with just one line delivery.
Braugher made every project he was in better
Braugher's talents weren't confined to the small screen: throughout his thirty-plus year career, the actor appeared in movies as varied as "Primal Fear," "The Mist," "City of Angels," "Salt," and "She Said." He also directed a segment of the 1999 TV movie "Love Songs," executive produced the projects "Rosita Lopez For President" and "10,000 Black Men Named George," and starred in several stage plays including "The Way of the Word" and "Richard II," per Deadline.
In 2020, Romano told Variety he planned to cast Braugher in a movie he was set to direct and produce before the COVID-19 pandemic and still had plans to get him on board. The actor was also set to star in the series "The Residence" for Netflix next year. Deadline has confirmed that the Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers produced series has only shot half of its season. Braugher is survived by his wife Ami Brabson, who also appeared in "Homicide: Life on the Street." In 2014, Braugher and Brabson worked together again to present a play by late playwright Oni Faida Lampley. In lieu of flowers, Braugher's loved ones are reportedly suggesting a donation to The Classical Theatre of Harlem, for which he served on the board. The staggeringly great performer will be missed by all who loved his work.