LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andre Braugher, the Emmy-winning actor best known for his roles on the series “Homicide: Life on The Street” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” 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 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.”
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.”
He would win his first career Emmy for the role, taking the trophy for lead actor in a drama series in 1998.
He would win his second for lead actor in a miniseries or movie for the 2006 limited series “Thief” on FX. Braugher would be nominated for 11 Emmys overall.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 13: Andre Braugher attends the red carpet event for "She Said" during the 60th New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on October 13, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for FLC) ![]()
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 02: (L-R) André Braugher and Ami Brabson attend "The Good Fight" Series Finale Red Carpet & Event on November 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Paramount+) ![]()
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 01: Actors Andre Braugher (L) and Andy Samberg speak onstage during the Brooklyn NINE-NINE panel discussion at the FOX portion of the 2013 Summer Television Critics Association tour - Day 9 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 1, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) ![]()
Actor Andre Braugher(R) and actress Christine Lahti(L) hold their Emmy Awards at the 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles 13 September. Braugher won his Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Frank Pembleton in "Homicide: Life On The Street" and Lahti won her Emmy for Outstanding Actress for her role as Dr. Kate Austin in "Chicago Hope." AFP PHOTO Lucy NICHOLSON/mn (Photo by LUCY NICHOLSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images) ![]()
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 21: (US TABS AND HOLLYWOOD REPORTER OUT) (L-R) Actors Andre Braugher and Will Yun Lee attend the after party for the premiere screening for FX Networks "Thief" at the Pacific Design Center on March 21, 2006 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images) ![]()
LOS ANGELES - AUGUST 27: Actor Andre Braugher winner of the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie poses in the press room at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on August 27, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) ![]()
LOS ANGELES - MAY 10: (from left to right) Actors Emmy Rossum, Josh Lucas, Andre Braugher and Kevin Dillon pose at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Poseidon" at Grauman's Chinese Theater on May 10, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) ![]()
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 08: Actors Andy Samberg (L) and Andre Braugher of the television show "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" speaks during the NBC segment of the Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 8, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) ![]()
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 01: Andre Braugher, Jay Wilkison and Andre Holland attend the party for the Manhattan Theatre Club's "The Whipping Man" opening night at the Beacon on February 1, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) ![]()
368576 Elizabeth Mitchell and Andre Braugher stars in the movie "Frequency" to be released in May, 2000. Photo New Line Cinema/Delivered by Online USA ![]()
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 09: (L-R) Dan Florek, Mariska Hargitay and Andre Braugher attend the 2013 Joyful Heart Foundation Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on May 9, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images) ![]()
EXCLUSIVE - Simone Smith, from left, LL Cool J, Andre Braugher and Ami Brabson attend the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Alex Berliner/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images) ![]()
368576 Dennis Quaid and Andre Braugher stars in the movie "Frequency" to be released in May, 2000. Photo New Line Cinema/Delivered by Online USA ![]()
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 09: (L-R) James Earl Jones, Andre Braugher and Courtney B. Vance attend the 2013 Inclusion In The Arts' Champion Of Diversity Award presentation on July 9, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images) ![]()
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 01: Actor Andre Braugher speaks onstage during the Brooklyn NINE-NINE panel discussion at the FOX portion of the 2013 Summer Television Critics Association tour - Day 9 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 1, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) ![]()
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 22: Actors Mark Harmon (L) and Andre Braugher speak onstage during the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) ![]()
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JANUARY 12: (L-R) Actor Andy Samberg, producer Michael Schur, producer Daniel J. Goor, actor Terry Crews, and actor Andre Braugher pose in the press room during the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 12, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) ![]()
Actor Andre Braugher poses for a portrait Thursday, June 5, 2008 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) ![]()
EXCLUSIVE - Seth Meyers, left, and Andre Braugher attend the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Alex Berliner/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images)
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 “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” It would run for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021 on Fox and NBC.
Though he'd dipped his toe into comedy in the TNT dramedy “Men of a Certain Age,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” still represented a major shift for Braugher, who was known for acting in dark and heavy dramas.
“I just felt as though it was an opportunity to do something strikingly different from the rest of my career,” Braugher told the AP. “I like it because it just simply opens up my mind and forces me to think in a different way. So I think I’ve become much more sort of supple as an actor, and more open to the incredible number of possibilities of how to play a scene."
He would be nominated for four Emmys during the run.
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.