Fellow actors are sharing their love and admiration for late Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andre Braugher, after his death was confirmed earlier today.
The actor, best known for playing Captain Raymond Holt over eight seasons of the beloved cop comedy, died aged 61 following a short illness.
Comedian Chelsea Peretti, who played Holt’s uninterested assistant Gina for six seasons, wrote: “Love you ❤️ Will miss your dulcet tones. Forever lucky to have gone on such a journey with you. Ringside seat. You were so funny to me and the epitome of still waters run deep. I will always cherish our conversations, often with me hanging in your doorway barring your exit, and the insane opportunity to be your sidekick. Is it weird that I am also grieving for what Captain Holt meant to Gina? I really hoped and knew I would see you again. Hate that I won’t 💔”
I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Marc Evan Jackson, who starred as Holt’s partner Kevin in the series, shared a simple tribute to his co-star: “O Captain. My Captain”. The comment on the post from Nick Offerman, star of another beloved sitcom Parks and Recreation, sums up our feelings on the matter: “Goddammit.”
Oscar winner Viola Davis, who starred opposite Braugher in a TV special revival of the sitcom Good Times in 2019, as part of Jimmy Kimmel’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience, also shared her grief. She wrote: “Heartbreaking. You went way too soon. I loved every minute of working with you….your talent, your bottomless heart, your love of your family….your wife. You were a great man. God bless your children, your beautiful wife…..You will be missed Andre Braugher 💔💔”
She’s joined by another Oscar winner, one Octavia Spencer, who wrote: “@andrebraugher will always be remembered as one of the greats and I am so saddened to hear of his passing. Sending love to his family, friends, co-stars and fans around the world 🤍🕊️”
People who worked behind-the-scenes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine have also shared their memories of Braugher, including former production assistant David Kappel-Samuels, who wrote: “There are no words that can sum up the incredibly special and unique person you were, I feel lucky and privileged that I was able to call you my friend
Rest easy Captain.”
Insecure showrunner Prentice Penny, who wrote for the Nine-Nine between 2013 and 2015, shared her memories of Braugher on Twitter.
“RIP #andrebraugher One of my favorite memories of him was one day on set, he was like I follow you on Twitter – you’re funny. I said, “oh what’s your handle so I can follow you too.” He said, “No. I like it that you don’t know it’s me.” We both fell out. He was a good man,” read one tweet.
“One of my other favorite memories was me, him and Terry Crews talking on set. He was so warm with us and then when a white person would walk by, he’d look serious again. He then leaned in and said “Gotta keep ‘em on they toes.” Again, I fell out! RIP #andreBraugher,” read another.
The executive producer of the series’ pilot Christopher Miller wrote on Twitter: “Sad. I got to know Andre a little while doing the Brooklyn Nine-Nine pilot. He was a kind, thoughtful, supremely talented person. The way he and Andy’s opposite approaches to acting baffled & then slowly influenced each other was a magical dynamic that was the heart of the show.” (Braugher trained at Juilliard).
The show’s stills photographer John Fleenor shared on Instagram: “RIP Andre. You certainly were always one of the brightest parts of the day and you have left us all way too soon. This one hurts… a lot. Nine-Nine Forever!”
Nine-Nine editor and director Ryan Case shared a thread on Twitter, recalling how she taught the late actor about Sex and the City to prepare him for an episode where Holt uses his SATC knowledge during a heist. “It deeply bothered Andre that he didn’t know the show so we spent days getting him up to speed. He was quizzing his wife at night too. He cared so deeply and was so so funny,” she wrote.
“If there weren’t men like Andre in this business I probably would’ve quit it a long time ago. The world is worse without him.”
The new posts follow early outpourings from Brooklyn Nine-Nine stars Terry Crews, Joe Lo Truglio, Dirk Blocker and Joel McKinnon Miller, and the series’ cinematographer Rick Page.
Last year, both Stephanie Beatriz and Terry Crews flagged their interest in a Nine-Nine reunion. But it just wouldn’t be the same without Andre Braugher as Captain Holt.
I’ll just leave you here with this:
Tell my boss I’m sorry I’ve logged off early, I had to go binge-watch the show on Netflix.
