Andre Braugher has died at the age of 61.
The actor, known for his roles on acclaimed crime series such as Homicide: Life on the Street and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, died on Monday after a recent illness.
Braugher played Det. Frank Pemberton in Homicide, earning his first Emmy win in 1998. He played another police officer, the no-nonsense Capt. Raymond Holt, in the comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, picking up four Emmy nominations. He earned 11 Emmy nominations in his career, including a second win for the 2006 miniseries Thief.
At the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, the actor reflected on his roles as Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and other fictional police officers, and how he viewed real-world police relations.
“I look up after all these decades of playing these characters, and I say to myself, it’s been so pervasive that I’ve been inside this storytelling, and I, too, have fallen prey to the mythology that’s been built up,” Braugher told Variety at the time.
“It’s almost like the air you breathe or the water that you swim in. It’s hard to see. But because there are so many cop shows on television, that’s where the public gets its information about the state of policing,” he continued. “Cops breaking the law to quote, ‘defend the law,’ is a real terrible slippery slope. It has given license to the breaking of law everywhere, justified it and excused it. That’s something that we’re going to have to collectively address — all cop shows.”
Earlier this year, Nyambi Nyambi, Braugher’s The Good Fight costar, spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about how working with him had a positive impact on his life.
“I’ve spent time with him on [The Good Fight] set and then off set and talked to him about acting, talked to him about life, talked about storytelling, the creative process. I learned so much from him,” the 44-year-old actor said during a Black History Month tribute honoring living legends who have changed their lives.
“I learned to keep asking questions until you find what is the key center of the scene. And that’s been amazing for me,” Nyambi continued. “And then to watch his work back? He’s incredible. His sense of humor, his professionalism, all of those things. I look at him as somebody who I hope, as I continue to grow in this business, to have half the career of a man like this. It’s been a blessing.”
Following news of Braugher’s passing, his costars began paying tribute to his work.
“Can’t believe you’re gone so soon,” Terry Crews began in a heartfelt Instagram post. The two were Brooklyn Nine-Nine costars.
“I’m honored to have known you, laughed with you, worked with you and shared 8 glorious years watching your irreplaceable talent,” Crews, 55, continued.
“Thank you for your wisdom, your advice, your kindness and your friendship. Deepest condolences to your wife and family in this difficult time. You showed me what a life well lived looks like. Rest In Peace, Andre. I love you, man. 😢❤️.”
Braugher began his acting career in 1989, starring alongside Denzel Washington in Glory and working with Telly Savalas on Kojak. His other credits include City of Angels, Salt, Law & Order, Salem’s Lot, and the upcoming Netflix series The Residence. He also won Obie Awards for his performances in stage productions of Henry V and The Whipping Man.
Braugher, a Chicago native and Stanford University and Juilliard graduate, is survived by his wife Ami Brabson, and their children John Wesley Braugher, Michael Braugher and Isaiah Braugher.
