Andre Braugher, Emmy-winning actor who starred in 'Homicide' and 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine,' dies at 61

A Black man stands and poses for a photo
Andre Braugher, a cast member in the television series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," poses for a portrait at CBS Radford Studios, Nov. 2, 2018, in Los Angeles. Braugher, the Emmy-winning actor best known for his roles on the series “Homicide: Life on The Street” and “Brooklyn 99,” died Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, at age 61.
Chris Pizzello | Invision | AP, File

Andre Braugher, the Emmy-winning actor best known for his roles on the series “Homicide: Life on The Street” and “Brooklyn 99,” died Monday at age 61.

Braugher's publicist Jennifer Allen confirmed his death to the trade publication Variety.

The Chicago-born actor had his breakthrough role in 1989's “Glory,” starring alongside Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, who won an Oscar for the film about an all-Black army regiment during the the Civil War.

Despite the part, he told The Associated Press in 2019 that he struggled to find work in a Hollywood where roles for African American actors were “few and far between. Period.”

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

But he would establish himself with the role of Det. Frank Pembleton, which he would play for seven seasons in “Homicide: Life on the Street,” a gritty police drama on NBC based on a book by David Simon, who would go on to create “The Wire.”

Years later he would play a very different kind of cop on a very different kind of show, shifting to comedy as Capt. Ray Holt on the Andy Samberg-starring Fox series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” It would run for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021.

Braugher won two career Emmys from 11 nominations.

He was married for more than 30 years to his “Homicide” co-star Ami Brabson. They had three sons.

His death was first reported by Deadline.