Brooklyn Nine-Nine writer Jeff Topolski has shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes anecdote of Andre Braugher after the two-time Emmy winner’s death.
Braugher’s death aged 61 after a brief illness was announced on Monday (11 December).
“This is devastating. It was such a joy and an honour to watch Andre Braugher work. So talented, so kind, so fun. Can’t believe it,” Topolski tweeted in response to the news.
He later followed up with a funny memory of working alongside Braugher, who starred as the indelible Captain Raymond Holt on the much-loved police sitcom.
“We were filming a scene where Holt walked into the break room and Andre was like ‘Why am I walking into the break room?’ and we were like uh idk Andre, why do you think you’d walk into the break room and he was like ‘Maybe I’m coming in here to eat a bowl of soup?’” Topolski wrote.
“So we were like ...okay! And props went and got him a bowl of soup and it was filled to the brim for some reason and when we started to film the scene he had to walk into the room so, so slowly and carefully as to not spill any soup, and Andre took it very seriously...”
Topolski said they ended up “scrapping the soup” before adding: “But that’s how Andre was, a true actor’s actor. There was a purpose behind every single thing he did, and Holt was this amazing character because of Andre. He knew Holt better than anyone. There will never be anyone else like Andre.”
Several other co-stars and fans have paid glowing tribute to Braugher, describing him as a generous, talented and hilarious person.
While best known for his role as the strict and rule-following police captain, he was also well-known for his portrayal of Detective Frank Pembleton on the NBC drama Homicide: Life on the Street.
In 1998, Braugher won his first Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the latter role. He went on to win his second Emmy in 2006 for playing heist crew leader Nick Atwater in the FX mini-series Thief.
Before his death, he was apparently midway through filming The Residence, a series described by Netflix as “a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion”.
From Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, the show had begun filming earlier this year, but production had come to a halt in May, when the writers’ strike began as the Writers Guild of America withdrew their labour in protest against reduced residual payments and streaming-linked issues.
Four of the planned eight episodes of The Residence had been filmed before the strikes, according to Deadline, with filming due to resume on 2 January.
It’s unclear whether the show will stick to this date, or if Braugher’s role will be recast or written out of the show.
Braugher is survived by his wife, Ami Brabson. They met when they were cast together in Homicide: Life on the Street, and married in 1991. They have three children.
