Rosario Monachino
Orange Is The New Black actor Brad William Henke has died aged 56.
The former NFL player turned actor also starred in TV shows such as Dexter, Lost, and The Office.
He was also featured in the films Pacific Rim, Split, and Fury.
His death was confirmed by his manager, Matt DelPiano.
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In a statement, he said: “Brad was an incredibly kind man of joyous energy.
“A very talented actor, he loved being a part of this community… and we loved him back.
“Our thoughts are with his wife and family.”
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As reported by Deadline, the 56-year-old died in his sleep on November 29, however, no cause has currently been revealed.
Henke has sadly left behind his mother, Tammy, his sister, Annette, his wife, Sonja, his stepson Aaden, his stepdaughter Leasa, and his grandchild Amirah.
After news broke of his death, Orange Is The Black casting director Jen Euston tweeted: “This is a shock. rest well, Brad.
“Thank you for all the work you contributed to Orange Is The New Black. you will not be forgotten.”
Henke played defensive line and was drafted by the New York Giants in 1989, but he was cut from the team in training camp.
He was then signed by the Denver Broncos and appeared in Super Bowl XXIV (1990) against the San Franciso 49ers.
However, due to multiple injuries, Henke’s NFL career was short-lived and he was forced to retire in 1994.
Shortly after, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in coaching.
However, when an open call for ‘big guys’ was needed for a commercial, he soon found himself a new career.
After discovering his love for acting, Henke admitted he wished he made the transition earlier.
In a 1998 interview with Tuscan Leather, He explained: ”I’m fortunate I’ve found something I love to do a million times more than playing football.
”I was kind of lost for a while after my football career ended, and I’m so glad I found this. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with the best of my life already behind me.”
He got his first occurring TV role in the series Nikki in 2000, however, the series was cancelled after one season.
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Henke made guest appearances in a number of high-profile shows such as CSI: Miami, Law & Order, and Life on Mars.
He also appeared in the movies The Assisantion of Richard Nixon and Hollywoodland.
Henke was then cast in the hit comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black as Desi Piscatella, a gay corrections officer at Litchfield Federal Penitentiary.
He regularly appeared in the series from 2016-18 and shared a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2017.
Our thoughts are with Brad William Henke’s family and friends during this time. RIP.
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