“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” pays tribute to Capt. Holt star Andre Braugher after actor's death: 'Always our Captain'

Braugher, who played Capt. Raymond Holt for eight seasons, died at age 61.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has lost a member of its squad.

"Always our Captain. We love you, Andre," the official account for the sitcom posted on Tuesday, following news that Andre Braugher, who played Capt. Raymond Holt for eight seasons, had died at the age of 61 following a brief illness.

Braugher first rose to fame as a dramatic actor on Homicide: Life on the Street, portraying Frank Pembleton, a self-righteous, unyielding Baltimore police detective. Braugher worked steadily across film and television, with roles in films like Glory and City Angels and starring on shows such as Men of a Certain Age, Hack, and The Good Fight.

But he endeared himself to audiences as a first-rate comic actor when he stepped into the role of Captain Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, his tough, inflexible, pretentious exterior providing the groundwork for the actor to bring all manner of ridiculous scenarios and deadpan one-liners to the screen. Braugher was often the calm in the story in the ensemble cast that also featured Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero, Stephanie Beatriz, Chelsea Peretti, Terry Crews, and Joe Lo Truglio.

The sitcom premiered on Fox in Sept. 2013, where it ran for five seasons before it was canceled in 2018. NBC saved the show, picking the series up for an additional three seasons until its conclusion in 2021. Braugher appeared on all 153 episodes of the series, as it traced Captain Holt's journey from a stoic police captain focused on upholding his legacy as the NYPD's first Black gay police captain to a member of the Nine-Nine family.

Both of the show's previous networks shared tributes to Braugher on Tuesday.

"Everyone at FOX is devastated by the sudden loss of our friend and colleague, the incredibly talented Andre Braugher," a statement from Fox read. "He will most certainly be remembered for his iconic comedic and dramatic roles across both film and television, but he will be remembered mostly for his big heart, kindness and the lasting impact he made on his friends, family and fans everywhere. Andre was the heart and soul of the Nine-Nine and will forever be our Captain. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Andre's family and loved ones at this time."

NBC, which saved Brooklyn Nine-Nine from cancellation and was also home to Homicide: Life on the Street, issued the following statement: "Andre Braugher was the actor that others in the profession would always aspire to be. He infused Det. Frank Pembleton on 'Homicide: Life on the Street' with both righteous ferocity and quiet dignity. In addition to his prowess as a dramatic actor, his comedy chops were also on full display as the determined and passionate Capt. Holt in ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine.’ His performances will continue to inspire future generations and we will miss him tremendously."

Braugher was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy series four times for his work as Captain Holt,. He never won for Nine-Nine, though he had previously nabbed Emmys for his work on Homicide: Life on the Street and FX mini-series Thief.

Co-creator Dan Goor previously talked to EW about casting Braugher because of his ties to Homicide: Life on the Street. "We found out that Andre was available," Goor said, "and this guy who is not only an amazing dramatic actor but made his name being a cop on one of the most well-respected dramas would possibly be interested in doing our dumb little show, it was such a no-brainer. We did an audition with him, and we didn't know if he was funny. We knew that he was a great actor, and then within the first two minutes, he had us laughing."

"All I can say is I don't intend on doing a parody of myself, and this show is not nearly as intense nor is even pretending to be that intense," Braugher said. "We're not doing Reno 911 or Police Squad. I think we're always starting from the foundation that this workplace comedy set in a police precinct involves really competent people who know what they're doing, so the comedy doesn't stem from the fact that they're just incompetents. It's more of a wink than a parody, and I hope I don't find myself in the box yelling at someone, because that would just be too much. But this is Ned Beatty and Yaphet Kotto, 20 years later. I'm playing the brass, so it's very interesting, and Andy is the brilliant young detective now. It's not a direct parallel, but it's a funny reversal."

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Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.