Beloved actor Andre Braugher died from a brief illness Monday, his rep confirmed to Page Six.
Braugher, who was 61 at the time of his passing, was best known for playing Baltimore homicide detective Frank Pembleton on the ’90s police procedural series “Homicide: Life On The Street.”
He went on to star in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” as Captain Raymond Holt, alongside Andy Samberg and Terry Crews.
His eight seasons with the show, which aired between 2013 and 2021, earned him two Critics Choice Awards and four Emmy Award nominations.
The successful series marked Braugher’s foray into comedy, which he once admitted scared him.
“Everything’s new. I’d never done it before,” he told Variety in 2020.
“I remember turning to my wife and asking her, ‘Is this funny?’ And she said, ‘Yes, of course, you’re not being deceived.”
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“But I kept looking at it, saying to myself, is this good? I couldn’t really judge.”
His role as Frank Pembleton in “Homicide: Life On The Street” landed him his first Lead Actor In A Drama Series Emmy in 1998.
Braugher snagged his second trophy in 2006 for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie for his portrayal of Nick Atwater in “Thief.”
He also earned two Golden Globe nods for “Gideon’s Crossing” in 2001 and “Thief” in 2007.
While he is best known for the above-mentioned projects, Braugher got his start playing Det. Winston Blake on five “Kojak” television films that aired between 1989 and 1990.
Also in 1989, he played Cpl. Thomas Searles in the Oscar-winning film “Glory,” which followed the story of America’s first all-black volunteer company during the Civil War.
Other notable projects include “The Good Fight” (2022), “BoJack Horseman” (2017), “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (2011 – 2015), “Last Resort” (2012 – 2013), “House” (2009 – 2012), “Men of a Certain Age” (2009 – 2011) and “Hack” (2002 – 2004).
Most recently, he starred in “She Said” as Dean Baquet, the New York Times Executive Editor who oversaw the two reporters whose reporting led to the rape and sexual assault convictions against Harvey Weinstein.
Braugher was tapped to lead Shonda Rhimes’ mystery drama “The Residence” as White House Chief Usher. A.B. Wynter in February opposite an ensemble cast including Uzo Aduba.
The show was in production at the time of his death.
Braugher is survived by his wife, Ami Brabson, whom he married in 1991, and their three sons, Michael, Isaiah and John.
He was a dedicated family man, even returning to his home state of New Jersey every weekend while “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” was filming in Los Angeles.
“I made a choice along the way that Ami and those boys were too important to not spend quantity time with,” he explained to Variety in 2020.
“Both the health crisis [over coronavirus] and the democracy crisis that we’re going through demonstrate to me that there’s no substance in the bling.”
“The focus on celebrity-ness — it’s not real. So I just chose, in my own way, to sort of drop out.”
He later added, “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.”
“I wanted to be there through the course of their life because I know how important fathers are.”
In the same interview, however, he conceded that although he would not change any decision he’s made, his family time impacted his career path.
“It’s been an interesting career, but I think it could have been larger,” he candidly said.
“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.”
Braugher is also survived by his brother, Charles Jennings, and his mother, Sally Braugher.
