Andre Braugher's 5 Best Movies And TV Shows

The sudden death of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star Andre Braugher on December 11, 2023, following a brief illness shocked the world. Though he was only 61 years old, he had managed to accrue an impressive resume during his career, which culminated in 11 Emmy nominations and two wins, one for "Homicide: Life on the Street," the other for "Thief," a 2006 FX miniseries. He gained fame on stage and screens, both small and large, between accolades for his dignified, artfully acted roles. Braugher was trained for Shakespearean work, and that came through in every onscreen acting choice he made.

Braugher's resume spanned decades, allowing him to do everything from play an angel stuck between worlds to a harried, middle-aged dad looking for love. Among his best performances are that of a young soldier, a seasoned detective, and an officious police officer. These are the roles for which he'll be remembered decades from now.

"Glory" provided Andre Braugher with his breakthrough role after recurring as Detective Winston Blake in multiple "Kojak" telefilms during the late 1980s and 1990s. As Corporal Thomas Searles, Braugher was initially called upon to portray a dignified, well-cultured man with no experience in the tougher stuff of life before showing cracks in his character's armor. Those flaws allow Searles to become a better soldier and person. It's a masterful performance by Braugher, who managed to make Searles' learning process feel real and lived in.

When Searles volunteers to join the son of his boss and his close friend, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), as a member of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, his lack of athletic prowess and toughness is immediately noted by Sergeant-Major Mulcahy (John Finn). Searles is named the worst soldier in the union by Mulcahy, who sees him as too mild-mannered to make it onto the battlefield. But Searles refuses to give up, eventually becoming a loyal, dedicated soldier who sees action in the war. Braugher lives every inch of the slightly nebbishy role, which portends several of his future parts.

Andre Braugher already had his drama laurels well in place by the time he signed on to "Thief," an FX miniseries that lasted for only a single season in 2006 but won him major critical acclaim. Braugher played Nick Atwater, a bank robber who finds himself splitting time between family duties and keeping his band of high-maintenance colleagues alive. When his wife unexpectedly dies in a car accident, Nick becomes a single stepfather to Tammi Deveraux (Mae Whitman), who is just as rebellious and willing to break the law as he is. Unfortunately for Nick, he is soon in too deep with the Mafia, and as the bodies begin to mount up, he's left wondering if he can really protect Tammi. 

Braugher manages a balancing act of domestic caring and chilly, viscous criminal in "Thief." It's an impressive acting feat that leaves viewers wondering how Nick would have developed over any ensuing seasons. Unfortunately, viewers will never get an answer to that question. Shockingly, Braugher's Emmy award-winning performance isn't available on DVD or streaming services, but hopefully, future generations will get to witness its towering might.

A gritty, violent slice of mid-'00s procedural heaven, "Hacs" follows Mike Olshansky (David Morse) around New York City after he's forced out of the police force under a hail of possibly false corruption charges. Olshansky takes up driving a cab, which puts him in a position to mend his ways and public reputation as he gains fame as a vigilante. Andre Braugher portrayed Olshanky's partner, Marcellus Wallace. 

While the show lasted only two seasons, Braugher still made a solid impression. He infused a second-banana role with humor, pathos, and wit. He made the audience want to watch Marcellus and kept them curious about what he might be up to. In the end, the character feels realistically rounded. One can tell Marcellus is annoyed and exasperated by the risk Olshansky poses to his career, yet their partnership remains paramount, and he will do what he can to help out with the cases. It's a fascinating piece of work, an underappreciated and under-watched one that viewers will hopefully discover in the wake of Braugher's passing.

"Homicide: Life on the Street" made Andre Braugher's name as an actor, even though he left it before the series ended its run. As Frank Pembleton, an extremely moral man caught in a sometimes lawless and immoral place, Braugher acted every inch of the justice-seeking do-gooder. Frank is a philosopher and detective, but his temper sometimes runs away with him and lands him in sticky spots when defendants refuse to yield to the truth. The guy even has a stroke while interrogating a perp, forcing him to spend months in rehabilitation until he can come back to active duty. 

Braugher balances Pembleton's scholarly side with a sense of humor and a deep, deep desire for something richer and more profound, resulting in a performance that ended up winning him an Emmy in 1998. His partnership with Detective Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) is a classic rookie-versus-veteran tangle that ends up with both men in a close friendship. "Homicide: Life on the Street" remains frustratingly unavailable for viewers, which is a real shame, as it contains much of Braugher's best on-screen acting.

Andre Braugher had not done a lot of comedy before signing on to play the stern, taciturn, yet caring and loyal Captain Raymond Holt on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." That is an astonishing fact because his assured, Emmy-nominated performance as Holt is an achievement of towering proportions. Braugher is not just funny in the role; he knows how to play every beat and nuance to make a scene rib-cracking hilarious. Arguably, no one outside of Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) provided more memorable catchphrases to the comedy's lexicon. It's impossible to think of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" without remembering words like "The full bullpen!," "hot damn!" or "The statistical analysis, it's so beautiful!" Only Braugher could take a single word — "bone!" — and turn it into a comedy feast that will be remembered decades from now.

He also knew how to ground Holt's life in a realistic, touching place — the character's relationship with his professor husband, Kevin Cozner (Marc Evan Jackson), and their beloved Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Cheddar, helped make the captain a full-blooded, breathing person instead of a comedic character. Braugher subsequently gave Holt room to breathe and grow, to get closer to his colleagues, allowing him to expand instead of contract as a personality. That's a hallmark of a fine actor.