Andre Braugher’s Portrayal of Raymond Holt in ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ is Hailed as a Career-Defining Role

Initially, Andre Braugher bore a resemblance to Raymond Holt, the NYPD captain he skillfully portrayed for eight seasons on the Fox-turned-NBC sitcom ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’. Both exuded a commanding presence with a profound sense of dignity: Braugher, a Juilliard-trained, Emmy-winning dramatic actor; Holt, a gay, Black police officer who had triumphed over prejudice to ascend through the ranks of his agency.

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Both navigated a workplace infused with a zany atmosphere, seemingly incongruent with their hard-earned reputations—be it a joke-filled network comedy or the precinct it represented. Yet, akin to his character, Braugher seamlessly adapted to this fresh environment in his final major leading role in a television series before he passed away at the age of 61.

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The straight man is a timeless archetype in ensemble comedy, and Captain Holt is initially portrayed as a solemn counterpart to Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), a ‘Die Hard’ enthusiastic detective eager to win over his new boss. However, Braugher adeptly exploited the contrast between Holt’s composed demeanour and his subtle playfulness.

Image Courtesy: The New York Times

Braugher continued to explore various genres in his last years, embodying the seriously committed Dean Baquet in the journalism drama ‘She Said’ and sporting an array of fabulous eyewear for a recurring role in the whimsical legal procedural ‘The Good Fight’. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t diminish his legacy if many remember Braugher most for his portrayal of Raymond Holt. As his colleagues at the precinct would attest, eliciting a smile from him was no small achievement.

-Sushmita Sarkar