Brad William Henke – Orange Is the New Black actor – has died at the age of 56

CNN
–

Brad William Hinke, a veteran actor known for his work on “Orange Is the New Black” and other series, has passed away, according to his agent and manager.

He was 56 years old.

“Brad Hinke was a very kind man with joyful energy. An extremely talented actor, who loved being part of this community…and we loved him again,” his manager, Matt Delpiano, wrote in a statement shared on Instagram. “Our thoughts are with his wife and family.”

“Henke died peacefully in his sleep,” his agent, Sherry Cohen, told CNN in a statement on November 29.

Born in Columbus, Nebraska, and raised in Littleton, Colorado, he was awarded a football scholarship to the University of Arizona.

An outstanding defensive lineman, team captain, and academic student journalist, Henke was drafted into the National Football League by the New York Giants in 1989, eventually making it to the Denver Broncos roster and playing in Super Bowl XXIV against the San Francisco 49ers.

Recurring injuries led to his retirement from the NFL in 1994.

Henke moved to Los Angeles hoping to break into coaching and instead found himself in front of the camera after attending an open call for a commercial looking for “big guys”.

He was as quick to find work in Hollywood as he was in the field, and soon appeared in dozens of TV series, including “ER,” “Silk Stalkings,” “Arli$$,” and more.

He also played supporting roles in films such as “Space Jam” and “Mr. Wrong-do-it-wrong.”

But it was his breakout role in 2017 playing Desi Piscatella, a gay corrections officer at Litchfield Federal Penitentiary in the hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, which earned him a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

He has appeared in over 40 films such as ‘Bright, Fury’, ‘Me and You and Every We Know’ and ‘Choke’, the latter receiving a Special Jury Award for his work by a cast at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

Henke opened an acting studio in Los Angeles in 2000 where he helped guide the careers of other actors.

His networking with those in his profession also included producing shows, assisting his student land agents and lending his acting abilities to up-and-coming filmmakers, including “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 often, loved taking his stepson to soccer games and gymnastics and adored his dog, Robby,” according to his agent.

Henk is survived by his mother Tammy, his sister Annette, his wife Sonia, his stepson Aden, his daughter Lisa, and his granddaughter Amira.