(CNN) — Brad William Henke, a veteran actor known for his work on “Orange Is the New Black” and other series, has died at the age of 56, according to his agent and representative.
“Brad Henke was an incredibly kind man with joyous energy. A very talented actor, he loved being a part of this community…and we loved him back,” his manager, Matt DelPiano, wrote in a statement shared on Instagram. . “Our thoughts are with his wife and his family.”
Brad William Henke in 2017. Credit: Michael Tran/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Henke “died peacefully in her sleep” on November 29, her agent, Sheree Cohen, told CNN in a statement.
Born in Columbus, Nebraska, and raised in Littleton, Colorado, he earned a football scholarship to the University of Arizona.
A noted defensive lineman, team captain and All-Academic journalism student, Henke was drafted into the National Football League by the New York Giants in 1989, eventually making the roster to the Denver Broncos and playing in the Super Bowl XXIV against the San Francisco 49ers.
Repeated injuries led to his retirement from the NFL in 1994.
Henke moved to Los Angeles hoping to break into the world of coaching, and instead found himself on camera after attending an open call for an ad looking for “big guys.”
He was as quick to find work in Hollywood as he was in the field and soon racked up dozens of appearances on television series, including “ER,” “Silk Stalkings” and “Arli$$,” among others.
He also landed supporting roles in movies like “Space Jam” and “Mr. Wrong.”
But it was her most notable role in 2017 playing Desi Piscatella, a gay correctional officer at the Litchfield Federal Penitentiary in the hit Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black,” which earned her a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble. in a comedy series.
He appeared in more than 40 films including “Bright, Fury,” “Me and You and Everyone We Know,” and “Choke,” the latter winning the Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Cast Work at the Sundance Film Festival. of 2008.
Henke opened an acting studio in Los Angeles in 2000, where he helped guide the careers of other actors.
Her outreach activities include producing shows, helping her students find agents, and lending her acting skills to up-and-coming filmmakers like “Short Term 12” and “Willy’s Wonderland.”
An avid fan of the NFL and UFC, he was also a devoted family man who “visited his mother frequently, loved taking his stepson to football games and gymnastics, and adored his dog, Ruby,” according to his agent.
Henke is survived by his mother Tammy, sister Annette, wife Sonja, stepson Aaden, stepdaughter Leasa, and granddaughter Amirah.
