When the Nine-Nine mourns, they do so together.
It's been a heartbreaking 24+ hours for the cast and crew of the heartfelt comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The squad lost their leader, the indomitable Andre Braugher, on Monday at the age of 61, after a brief battle with an unknown illness. And though he may be most likely known to you all as Captain Raymond Holt, Braugher's career was a robust one. The actor made his screen debut in 1989's Glory, a civil war drama that also starred Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick, and only continued to accrue credits and accolades along the way.
The Stanford and Juilliard-trained actor won an Emmy for his work as Detective Frank Pembleton on NBC’s police drama Homicide: Life on the Street in the '90s, but it was his time as Captain Holt that would go on to become his longest-running and most-beloved character, appearing in over 153 episodes of the course of the series' 8-season run on FOX and NBC.
So it's no surprise that cast members Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Terry Crews, Chelsea Peretti, and more, rolled out the social media honors for their dear friend. Below, we've compiled a few of the touching tributes.
"Can’t believe you’re gone so soon," Terry Crews (who played Terry Jeffords) wrote. "I’m honored to have known you, laughed with you, worked with you and shared 8 glorious years watching your irreplaceable talent."
He went on to add: "You taught me so much. I will be forever grateful for the experience of knowing you. Thank you for your wisdom, your advice, your kindness and your friendship. Deepest condolences to your wife and family in this difficult time. You showed me what a life well lived looks like."
Chelsea Peretti, who played Holt's assistant Gina Linetti—often the chaotic comedic foil to Holt's straight-man reserve—penned a particularly touching tribute on Instagram, writing: "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 💔"
And we'd be remiss not to highlight the tribute shared by Marc Evan Jackson, who played Holt's equally as straight man (sigh, anyone else miss this show?) professor husband, Kevin. A duo famous for never mincing words and stating it plain, his ode was, dare I say, a simple, pitch perfect: "O Captain. My Captain."
And then there were these touching words and images from Holt's number one superfan and aspiring mentee, Amy Santiago's real-life counterpart, Melissa Fumero:
"I love this first picture. The moment before that photo is Andre and me sitting on a little wooden deck over looking the ocean in Malibu. We were having our first, of many, deep conversations…. when out of a nowhere a big wave splashes the rocks below us, and we get hit! We get so startled that we jump up and run off the deck…..and then crack up laughing. We were shooting the Beach House episode. I will remember all the advice you gave me. I will remember all the times we laughed because your laugh was one of the all time greatest laughs to have ever existed. I will remember the deep love and loyalty you had for your family. I will remember it every time I ask work to make time for me to be with my family. I will remember how you sent me pictures of Fall trees in NJ because you knew how much I missed that time of year back east. I will remember you calling me Melly Fumé. I will remember so much. I really thought I’d see you again. My deepest condolences to Andre’s family, to Ami, to the boys, and to all his friends and loved ones. It was an honor to be in your orbit for a time, Sir. May you Rest in Peace my friend.#ninenine"
Check out the rest of the tributes, below:
