Andre Braugher, best known for playing an upright and stoic policeman in cult television shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Homicide: Life on the Street passed away at 61, on Monday, December 11. His death was confirmed by his publicist Jennifer Allen on Tuesday who said he died after suffering a brief illness without providing any further details.
Let’s take a look at his early life and notable achievements as we pay tribute to our beloved Captain Ray Holt
Andre Braugher’s life before Hollywood fame
Andre Braugher was born on July 1, 1962, to Floyd and Sally Braugher in Illinois, Chicago. His father Floyd Braugher was a heavy equipment operator and his mother Sally Braugher worked for the United States Postal Service.
Given the fact that both his parents belonged to a very working-class profession and Braugher was their fourth child, he had a minimalist and humble upbringing in Chicago’s West Side. Speaking to The New York Times in 2014, Braugher revealed how “they lived in a ghetto”, and how he wanted a way out of it.
Braugher achieved his education at the prestigious Stanford University as a math major and then gravitated toward acting. He earned a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from The Juilliard School in 1988, a leading performing arts institution in New York.
Braugher’s father Floyd Braugher had plans for his son’s career as he wanted him to become an engineer. Needless to say, when Floyd learned about his son’s acting ambition, he was not delighted at the least. His fear was validated by the fact that they were black Americans who were not presented with the red carpet entry into the acting fraternity.
Andre Braugher’s acclaimed career
Andre made his acting debut in the 1989 film, Glory where he played Thomas Searles. The film also starred prominent actors like Morgan Freeman, Matthew Broderick, and Denzel Washington.
He again played a detective in ABC’s Kojak in 1989. However, his role as detective Frank Pembleton on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street starting in 1993 was what made him a household name. He portrayed the role until 1998. This role earned him two Television Critics Association awards and an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Apart from professional acclaim, this series also gifted him his life partner.
Frank and Mary’s onscreen romance blossomed outside the reel world, and Andre ended up marrying his onscreen wife Mary (played by Ami Brabson) in real life. Ami Brabson is a singer and producer herself.
Andre then went on to play another one of his remarkable roles that engraved his name in the pop culture scene forever. He played Captain Ray Holt, an openly gay cop between 2013 to 2021. He received four Emmy nominations for this role and won two Critics Choice Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Tributes pour in from co-stars and more
The actor’s passing is an unfathomable loss to many, including many of his co-stars. “Andre Braugher was the actor that others in this profession would always aspire to be,” wrote NBC, while paying tributes to the late actor. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the official Instagram handle for the show posted a picture of Andre as Capt. Holt and captioned it, “Always our Captain. We love you, Andre.”
Meanwhile, Andre Braugher is survived by his wife Ami Brabson, and their three sons, Michael, Isaiah, and John.
