Brad William Henke Dies: ‘Orange Is The New Black’, ‘Justified’ & ‘Dexter’ Actor Was 56 - Deadline

Brad William Henke, a erstwhile NFL subordinate who segued to acting and appeared successful TV bid including Orange Is the New Black, Justified and Lost and specified films arsenic Pacific Rim and World Trade Center, has died. He was 56. His household said Henke died successful his slumber November 29, but nary origin was given.

Born connected April 10, 1966, successful Columbus, NB, and raised successful Littleton, CO, Henke played assemblage shot astatine the University of Arizona, wherever helium was squad skipper and an All-Academic pupil journalist. Drafted by the New York Giants successful 1989, helium went connected to play connected the antiaircraft enactment for the Denver Broncos and appeared successful Super Bowl XXIV.

After injuries for him to discontinue successful 1994, Henke moved to Los Angeles to prosecute coaching. An unfastened telephone for “big guys” to bash a commercialized soon led to a caller career. He began to people impermanent spots connected specified TV bid arsenic ER, Chicago Hope, Silk Stockings, Nash Bridges and Arli$$ and continued to enactment regularly until this year, racking up astir 100 credits.

The histrion landed his archetypal large recurring relation connected the 2000-02 WB Network drama Nikki, starring Nikki Cox, and was formed a pb other Sam Trammell successful Showtime’s road-trip dramedy Going to California, which lasted 1 season.

Along with much impermanent roles connected bid including CSI, Crossing Jordan and Judging Amy, Henke had tiny parts successful a fig of features during the aboriginal 2000s. He appeared successful The Assassination of Richard Nixon, Me and You and Everyone We Know, Must Love Dogs, The Zodiac, North Country, World Trade Center and Hollywoodland before being formed connected Showtime’s Dexter as Tony Tucci, a execution suspect-turned-near-victim who recurred successful 4 episodes.

Henke got his 2nd series-regular relation connected ABC’s short-lived 2007 play October Road.

After that, helium guested connected specified bid arsenic Law & Order, Life connected Mars and CSI: Miami before being formed connected ABC’s Lost as Bram, recurring connected a half-dozen episodes successful in 2009-10. Henke went connected to play Coover Bennett successful 7 Season 2 episodes of FX’s Justified and did an arc connected Fox’s 2011 Shawn Ryan play The Chicago Code.

He besides appeared successful the diagnostic Choke, which premiered astatine the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and shared a Special Jury Prize for its ensemble cast. Henke besides did mid-2010s arcs connected FX’s The Bridge and Prime Video’s Sneaky Pete. He past scored possibly his best-known role.

Henke was formed successful Jenji Kohan’s Showtime dramedy Orange Is the New Black arsenic Desi Piscatella, a cheery corrections serviceman astatine Litchfield Federal Penitentiary. He appeared successful much than 2 twelve episodes from 2016-18 and shared a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble successful a Comedy Series successful 2017. The formed was nominated again the pursuing year.

Henke besides recurred arsenic Big John successful the 2nd play of Discovery’s Manhunt in 2020 and arsenic Tom Cullen successful CBS All Access’ The Stand successful 2020-21. His different astir caller credits see Law & Order: SVU and the 2022 films Block Party and Run & Gun.

Henke is survived by his mother, Tammy; his sister, Annette; his wife, Sonja; stepson Aaden; stepdaughter Leasa; and grandchild Amirah, hundreds of friends, chap actors, and students. He was proceeded successful decease by his father, Bill, to whom helium paid tribute with his nonrecreational name.