Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast’s tributes to Andre Braugher after actor dies, aged 61

The cast of Brooklyn Nine-Nine have paid tribute their co-star Andre Braugher following his death aged 61, describing him as an “irreplaceable talent”.

The two-time Emmy winning actor starred as Captain Raymond Holt in the US sitcom alongside Terry Crews, Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Lo Truglio and Melissa Fumero, playing New York police officers in Brooklyn’s fictional 99th Precinct.

Braugher died on Monday after a brief illness, his publicist Jennifer Allen said.

During his established career, the American actor was nominated for 11 Emmy Awards – four of which were for his role in Brooklyn Nine-Nine – which first aired in 2013 and ended after eight seasons in 2021.

Crews, who played Lieutenant Terry Jeffords in the comedy, paid tribute to Braugher who was “gone so soon”.

“I’m honoured to have known you, laughed with you, worked with you and shared eight glorious years watching your irreplaceable talent,” he said on Instagram.

“This hurts. You left us too soon. You taught me so much. I will be forever grateful for the experience of knowing you. Thank you for your wisdom, your advice, your kindness and your friendship.

“…You showed me what a life well lived looks like.”

Lo Truglio, who played Charles Boyle on the show, highlighted Braugher’s devotion to his wife and three boys.

He wrote on Instagram: “So many wonderful stories will be told about Andre but for now, all my love goes to his wife Ami and his three boys, who he loved very much and flew back every weekend from the show to be with.

“We all know how powerful an actor he was, but even more, Andre knew exactly well his most important role and was deeply proud of it (sic).

“He spoke often about his sons, and knew how lucky he was to have Ami. I’m grateful to them all for allowing us to share eight years with him.

“He was committed and passionate about the things he loved. And that voice. It laid anchor to the roughest of dialogue. What you probably don’t know is that Andre could sing too, and did often at lunch.

“At first, it was odd because well – it was Andre Braugher crooning at full volume from behind closed doors – but then very quickly it made all the sense in the world, because the man was so full of song and that’s why the world took notice.

“I miss him so much already. What an honor to work with a man who knew what it was really all about. I feel blessed and thankful. Miss you Capt Holt. Love, Porkchop.”

Marc Evan Jackson, who played Braugher’s on-screen husband in the show, shared a picture of the pair hugging while on set, wearing their wedding rings.

He captioned the post on X, formerly Twitter: “O Captain. My Captain.”

Kyra Sedgwick, who starred as played NYPD Commissioner Madeline Wuntch, shared her “heartbreak” on Instagram.

“Playing his other half in Brooklyn Nine-Nine will forever be one of the highlights of my career,” she wrote.

Braugher received an Emmy Award in 1998 for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role as Detective Frank Pembleton in Homicide: Life On The Street – which ran from 1993 until 1999.

The actor met his wife Ami Brabson during his time on the US drama, with whom he had three children.

He later won another Emmy in 2006 for outstanding performance by a lead actor in a mini-series for his starring role in Thief, where he played professional burglar Nick Atwater – which also won him a Golden Globe nomination.

His break-out role was in the 1990 film Glory directed by Ed Zwick, alongside Hollywood stars Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington – who won his first Academy Award for his supporting role in the film.

Other notable credits include starring as Benjamin O Davis in Tuskegee Airmen, Dr Ben Gideon in Gideon’s Crossing – which won him a Golden Globe nomination – and Owen in Men Of A Certain Age, all roles which won him Emmy Award nominations.

Braugher most recently starred in She Said, the biographical drama which sees Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan play the investigative journalists who broke the Harvey Weinstein story.

He played Dean Baquet, the New York Times executive editor who oversaw the two reporters.