OITNB‘s Brad William Henke Dead at 56

Brad William Henke, the NFL player-turned-actor who portrayed prison guard Desi Piscatella on Orange Is the New Black, has died at the age of 56.

“Brad was an incredibly kind man of joyous energy,” Henke’s manager Matt DelPiano said in a statement. “A very talented actor, he loved being a part of this community….and we loved him back. Our thoughts are with his wife and family.”

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Henke reportedly died in his sleep on Tuesday, Nov. 29. A specific cause of death was not released.

In addition to Orange Is the New Black, Henke’s extensive TV resume included roles on Nash Bridges, Lost, Justified and The Stand, among dozens of other small screen credits.

Before launching his career in Hollywood, Henke played for the Denver Broncos (including Super Bowl XXIV in 1990), but he retired from the NFL in 1994 after sustaining various injuries.

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