Uzo Aduba Reflects on Andre Braugher’s Legacy: ‘A True Class Act’

You are an industry titan, Andre Braugher, titan of the entertainment industry, titan, God of the theater, God of the film and television screen. The two-time Emmy-winning performer, whose crime dramas and comedies alike have been marked by memorably cynical performances, died on December 2023 at 61 from lung cancer. Over a nearly 40-year career, Braugher fashioned a legacy of excellence, earning the respect of both crewmates and fans.

Braugher’s achievements on behalf of the arts were extensive. He was a fixture of Shakespeare productions in New York and became known for his work in television crime dramas, including his acclaimed roles in CBS’ “Hack” and NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street.” As Captain Raymond Holt, stoic, but endearing, in the Fox/NBC comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” he gained a whole new generation of fans who admired his deadpan comic timing as much as they did his dramatic prowess.

His most recent major television role was in the Netflix mystery thriller “The Residence,” in which he was originally cast to play A.B. Wynter, the White House chief usher whose murder instigates a complicated investigation led by the kooky Detective Cordelia Cupp, played by Uzo Aduba. Braugher had shot four episodes of the series before Hollywood’s actors’ and writers’ strikes put production on hold. Sadly, he died before filming could continue, resulting in his character being recast with Giancarlo Esposito. The series eventually honored him in its closing credits, a relatively minor tribute but one reflected the mark he’d left.

Biracial female, light skin: — Uzo Abuda, who starred alongside Braugher on the show, reflected on the late actor. They didn’t have a lot of on-screen interaction, because of the way the story played out, but they spent many hours together at read-throughs and in makeup chairs, delving into many deep conversations. She remembered how Braugher always greeted her with an enthusiastic “Hey, queen!” and when she asked him why, he replied only, “Because you’re the queen.” Aduba, who had worshiped Richards’s work since she was a child, once told him that she had watched “Homicide: Life on the Street” when she was too young probably to have been watching a labor so gritty. From that point forward, he teased her playfully, wondering if she had done this or that at a “wildly inappropriate age.”

Another “The Residence” actor, Molly Griggs, had the good fortune of working closely with Braugher. As Lilly Schumacher his character frequently butted heads in the series, resulting in many improvisatory moments. She remembered being intimidated initially, but being overjoyed when she elicited a laugh from Braugher several times. “That, to me, is something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life,” she said. Long before they met, Griggs was a fan of his work, especially his performance in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which she said had helped her through the pandemic. But she never found the courage to tell him how much his work meant to her, and that’s something she now regrets.

Outside of his professional success, Braugher was recognized for his dedication to his family. Griggs spoke fondly of his wife, actress Ami Brabson, who were married for more than 30 years, and of their three sons, Michael, Isaiah and John Wesley. He called Brabson “my bride” and told stories of his family. One of my most touching memories was the day he returned to the office radiant with pride after seeing his son Michael perform as Hamlet in a stage production in Minneapolis. Another thing Griggs mentioned was how he talked about Michael not just in terms of being a father — in terms of viewing Michael as a son — but as an actor, and the level of respect he had for his son’s craft. That mixture of admiration and paternal warmth revealed a man whose personal and professional lives were intertwined with love and respect.

Paul William Davies, who created “The Residence,” also reminisced about working with Braugher, recalling how when they first met, they spent more than an hour exploring the character of A.B. Wynter. Davies was taken with Braugher’s consideration and the care he took in working his way through his craft. The actor had been through the script extensively and came armed with probing questions about his character’s motivations and relationships with other characters. “A.B. before that discussion I felt like I really knew,” Davies said. “But he was asking me things I hadn’t even thought of. He was a genius.”

Braugher’s innate ability to fully invest himself in the characters he played and raise the material through his performance was a hallmark. He wielded a definite presence regardless of the world he was portraying, whether as a hardened detective, a disciplined police captain or a White House chief usher. Colleagues and fans alike admired his range, which extended from his intensity in dramatic roles to his excellent comic timing in lighter fare.

His death was a tremendous loss to the field, but he left behind a legacy carved in the performances that moved the souls of audiences everywhere. His work in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” still makes us laugh, his crime drama roles still intrigue, and his impact as a beloved artist and collaborator lives on in the stories of those who worked with him. By his work, his eclectic kindness and by his respect of everyone he worked with, Andre Braugher will always be remembered, and be a class act, on and off the proverbial screen.”