CNN –
Emmy-winning actor Andre Braugher, who died earlier this week at age 61, was diagnosed with lung cancer several months before his death, his publicist Jennifer Allen told CNN on Thursday.
The news was first reported by The New York Times.
Allen said in announcing Braugher's death Monday that he had suffered from a “brief illness” and said Thursday it was lung cancer.
Known for his Emmy-winning role in “Homicide: Life on the Street” and for his comedic chops on NBC’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” Braugher was a beloved actor to many.
After his stunning debut as a soldier in the 1989 war film “Glory,” Braugher racked up dozens of film and television appearances throughout his career.
Braugher received a second Emmy in 2006 for the FX miniseries “Thief,” earning a total of 11 nominations.
He later spent three seasons opposite Ray Romano on Men of a Certain Age before returning as police officer Captain Ray Holt on the Andy Samberg comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which ran for eight seasons. Braugher received Emmy nominations for both shows.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. Lung cancer kills more people in the United States than any other type of cancer, both men and women.
Braugher is survived by his wife, actress Ami Brabson, whom he married in 1991.