DLNews Entertainment:

Series star and Emmy winner Andre Braugher died on Monday at 61 after a short illness. Braugher was best known for his role as Detective Frank Pembleton in the series "Homicide" and Captain Ray Holt in the Netflix hit "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."  Braugher's spokeswoman, Jennifer Allen, confirmed his death to the trade magazine Variety.

Winner of two Emmys, nominated for 11 Emmys

Braugher won two Emmys during his career and was nominated for eleven.

The Chicago-born actor had his breakthrough role in the 1989 film "Glory" alongside Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, winning an Oscar for the movie about an all-black army regiment during the Civil War. Despite the role, Braugher told The Associated Press in 2019 that he needed help finding work in Hollywood, where roles for African-American actors "are few and far between. Period." Nevertheless, Baugher established himself as Detective Frank Pembleton, which he played for seven seasons in "Homicide," a gritty police drama. The series is based on a book by David Simon, the later creator of "The Wire."

He received his first Emmy in 1998 as the Lead Actor in a Drama Series category for this role. The Emmy is the most prestigious television award in the USA.

He received his second Emmy as lead actor in a miniseries or movie 2006 for the limited series "Thief". Braugher has been nominated for a total of 11 Emmys.

As Captain Ray Holt, he became a Netflix favorite.

In the comedy series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," Braugher played Captain Ray Holt alongside Andy Samberg. Universal Television produced the series, and became a global hit when it was broadcast on Netflix. The eight seasons ran on Netflix from 2013 to 2021.

Andre Braugher as Captain Ray Holt (center) in the comedy series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," at his side: Joe Lo Truglio as Charles Boyle (left) and leading actor Andy Samberg as Jake Peralta.

Although he had already dipped his toe into the comedy scene on the TNT dramedy "Men of a Certain Age," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" was a significant change for Braugher, known for his roles in dark and heavy dramas. "I just felt like it was an opportunity to do something distinctly different from the rest of my career," Braugher told AP. "I like it because it opens my mind and forces me to think differently. I think I've become more supple as an actor and more open to the incredible ways you can play a scene."

During the series, he was nominated for four Emmys.

He was married to his "Homicide" co-star Ami Brabson for over 30 years. They had three sons. Deadline first reported on his death.