Several months after Andre Braugher’s death, the realization still comes as a shock to many film and television audiences. Braugher had a successful and extensive career in theater, film, and television. However, the two-time Primetime Emmy Awards winner was was mostly known for playing law enforcement officers in television.
Like several actors before and after him, Andre Braugher had little interest in acting until he was at the University. Braugher enrolled at Stanford University with a scholarship. However, he switched majors to drama and graduated in 1984 with a BA in theater. Andre Braugher’s 35-year acting career ended with his death on December 11, 2023, at age 61. Here’s a look at the latter part of Andre Braugher’s life, career, and cause of death.
Andre Braugher’s Death Was First Reported By Deadline
The news of Andre Braugher’s death broke on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. Deadline reportedly was the first publication to report on the news. As the news quickly spread, Braugher’s publicity, Jennifer Allen, exclusively confirmed the death to the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, CNN, Variety, and Hollywood Reporter. Deadline’s film co-editor-in-chief, Mike Fleming Jr., shared the death with a simple opener, “André Braugher has died.” At the time the death was reported, Andre Braugher’s cause of death was said to have been from a brief illness.
Andre Braugher Was Diagnosed With Lung Cancer Few Months Before His Death
Although he had a memorable relationship with his co-stars and colleagues, Andre Braugher generally led a private life. Besides the few revelations he revealed during interviews, he did his best to shield his family (especially his children) from the spotlight and distractions of fame. After his death, his publicity confirmed the actor had been diagnosed with lung cancer a few months earlier.
In a 2014 interview with the New York Times, Braugher stated he was earlier a chain smoker but quit smoking and heavy drinking in 2010. While his diagnosis was unexpected, especially because he quit smoking about a decade ago, it didn’t come as a shock to the actor. However, Andre Braugher stayed committed to fight and beat the cancer for himself and his family.
His Cause of Death Was Confirmed Three Days After He Died
Andre Braugher’s death shocked everyone—friends, colleagues, fans, and the industry at large. As Captain Raymond Holt on Fox/NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, his most well-known role, Braugher, came off as a funny, energetic demeanor. Although the show ended two years before his death, it was one of the audience’s last memories of the amiable actor. On December 14, 2023, it was reported that Andre Braugher died of lung cancer at his home. The statement was revealed and confirmed by Braugher’s publicist, Jennifer Allen.
Andre Braugher Is Survived By His Wife And Children
Andre Braugher was married to actress Ami Brabson. The couple married on December 28, 1991, until Braugher’s death on December 11, 2023. Ami Brabson made her acting debut in 1993, co-starring with Braugher on NBC’s police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street. Besides season 7, Braugher appeared in all other seasons and the 2000 movie as Detective Frank Pembleton, one of the ensemble’s main cast. Interestingly, Ami Brabson played Braugher’s on-screen wife, Mary Pembleton, in the series.
Andre Braugher and Ami Brabson’s marriage produced three children: sons Michael Braugher, Isaiah Braugher, and John Wesley Braugher. At the time of Andre Braugher’s death, his children’s ages ranged from between 32 to 20 years. Braugher’s oldest child, Micheal, followed in his parent’s footsteps, making his acting debut in 2023. Michael Braugher played Booker T. Washington in 2 episodes of HBO’s historical drama series The Gilded Age. Although not much is known about Braugher’s youngest sons, they’re also reportedly hoping to follow in their parents’ footsteps.
Andre Braugher Had A Close-Knit Relationship With His Family
For Andre Braugher, everything was about family. Despite working on tight schedules as an actor, Braugher ensured his family was the priority. Besides being a loving husband, Braugher enjoyed being a father. In a 2020 interview with Variety, Braugher stated, “I made a choice along the way that Ami and those boys were too important to not spend quantity time with. The focus on celebrity-ness—it’s not real. So I just chose, in my own way, to sort of drop out.” Andre Braugher was also always self-aware of the implications of his choices. He knew he had to give up many opportunities to advance his career by choosing family.
Nonetheless, he chose family every time. He stated, “I think it could have spanned more disciplines: directing, producing, all these other different things. But it would have been at the expense of my own life. I’ve got three boys, and I want them to know me as someone other than the guy who takes them to the circus every once in a while. I wanted to be there through the course of their life because I know how important fathers are.” With his passing at age 61, it is a choice his family will eternally remain grateful for. Besides Andrea Braugher’s tragic death in 2023, here are 36 Actors Who Died in 2023.
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