What We Know About Andre Braugher's Wife, Ami Brabson

When Andre Braugher died unexpectedly at age 61, he left behind not only his fans and the castmates of the beloved sitcom "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," on which he played the eternally deadpan Captain Raymond Holt, but also his grieving wife and kids. Braugher's marriage to Ami Brabson was impressively long by Hollywood standards; the couple wed in 1991, and they had three sons together: Michael, Isaiah, and John Wesley. 

The Braughers were perfectly matched for each other. Both were classically trained performers long before they took to the screen. Braugher was a graduate of Stanford University and the prestigious Juilliard School, while Brabson had a master's degree from NYU/Tisch Graduate School of Acting. The two met on the set of "Homicide: Life on the Street," in which Brabson played Mary Pembleton, wife to Braugher's Detective Frank Pembleton. 

Their onscreen union echoed their real-life marriage, which evidently lasted because of the celebrity couple's mutual love, admiration, and commitment to each other. Both have also received their fair share of acclaim and awards. Braugher was nominated for an Emmy Award 11 times, and won twice; Brabson won the Connecticut Critics' Circle Award for Best Actress for her work in a local production of "American Son."

After Ami Brabson left her role as Mary on "Homicide," she went on to a string of other successful dramas. Her credits include a three-episode arc on "All My Children," alongside recurring roles in "Law & Order," "Unforgettable," and most recently, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," in which she played Judge Karen Blake. However, Brabson never appeared in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," despite her marriage to star Andre Braugher. This may well have been a personal choice, as the actor has consistently proven she's far more than her "wife of..." status might indicate. 

Brabson's website cites numerous stage appearances, including leading roles in Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and August Wilson's "Fences." She has also created, produced, and starred in two one-woman Off-Broadway shows. One, "Phenomenal Women," drew from the works of such accomplished Black artists as Zora Neale Hurston, Maya Angelou, and Ruby Dee. When the show ran in Baltimore, Braugher enthusiastically promoted it on Instagram. 

Announcing he was "so proud" to promote "my remarkably talented wife Ami," the beloved actor gushed: "I encourage anyone in the area to check out this incredible performance by my favorite phenomenal woman." A trained soprano, Brabson has performed in cabaret shows at New York's Merkin Hall and the Metropolitan Room, among other places. Her résumé also includes one unusual skill that, alas, isn't usually called for in TV crime dramas: juggling. 

Andre Braugher and Ami Brabson weren't the type of couple to chronicle every moment of their marriage on social media. It was all the more special, then, when they did acknowledge each other's achievements online. They were also comfortable working hundreds of miles apart; "Phenomenal Woman" had a limited run in Baltimore, while "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" filmed in L.A. 

Brabson's naturally positive nature shines through not only in her material (her most recent one-woman show was called "Resilience and Joy") but also in the messages she shares with fans. In 2019, the performer shared some of her favorite empowering quotes on Facebook, including one from Alice Walker: "No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow." Perhaps that was the secret to the Braughers' marriage too. 

Andre Braugher was utterly devoted to his wife, often relying on her for advice. The actor informed Variety in a 2022 interview that he looked to Brabson to assure him he would be funny on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." Braugher noted, "We're like-minded; we grew up in similar neighborhoods; we share the same values. She knows me like the back of her hand, and I'm grateful for that." In a heartbreaking twist of fate, Braugher reportedly died shortly before their 32nd wedding anniversary.