Dirk Blocker calls late Andre Braugher 'Father Figure' of ‘Brooklyn-Nine Nine’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Dirk Blocker is always filled with affection and deep admiration for Andre Braugher, an actor who not only played a captain on 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' but also made it a point to be a 'father figure' to the actors when he recalls their time together on set.

The 66-year-old Blocker recalls a memorable occasion from the sitcom's debut season when Fox unveiled brief promotional videos featuring Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller), Hitchcock, and himself, as reported by People.

'Joel and I were sitting in our little area'

He explains,“The day they were released, Joel and I were sitting in our little area, and the main cast was sitting in another area."

He adds, “Andre walks into the room, and in a very loud voice — certainly loud enough for Joel and I to hear — which I think was his point, he said, ‘Have you seen the Hitchcock videos?’"

He continues, "Everybody looked at him like, ‘What?’ And he said, ‘You've got to see. These are magnificent.’ … Everybody gathered around him on that side of the room and looked over his shoulder while he played the three videos of ours to the rest of the group.”

While watching them, Braugher would often burst into laughter—“he had a great laugh,” according to Blocker—but at that moment, Blocker and McKinnon Miller realized he was “laughing for us.”

He explains,“He wanted us to know that he appreciates what we're doing, that we're fitting in, and we're doing a good job — and he needed to let us know that."

He adds, "He was just so generous with himself at any rate, but that was kind of who he was."

Braugher died on Monday following a brief illness

At the age of sixty-one, Braugher, who portrayed Capt. Raymond Holt on 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' for eight years, died on Monday following a brief illness. Over the course of his twenty-year career, the actor received eleven Emmy nominations.

In 1998, he won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the miniseries 'Homicide: Life on the Street'. In 2006, he repeated the victory in same category for the same miniseries, 'Thief'.

Hours after the September 2021 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' series finale aired, Braugher and Blocker made their joint appearance on 'Late Night with Seth Meyers'. Blocker never lost contact with Braugher, even though the two didn't stay in contact thereafter. He had heard from a friend that the actor was still telling 'wonderful stories' about their time spent together while filming the series.

Blocker says, 'He was the captain, or the father figure'

“He was the captain, or the father figure, of the cast,” Blocker says, adding, “I'll just remember how warm and kind and really how loving he was as a human being. It was just really special.”

In addition, Braugher starred in the upcoming Netflix series 'The Residence', 'Salem's Lot', 'Law & Order', 'Glory with Denzel Washington', and 'Kojak' starring Telley Savalas. In addition, he received Obie Awards for his roles in Henry V and The Whipping Man stage plays.

In addition to his children John Wesley, Michael, and Isaiah Braugher, he was a native of Chicago and a graduate of Stanford University and Juilliard. He is survived by his wife, Ami Brabson.