‘Orange is the New Black’ star Brad William Henke dies, age 56

Orange is the New Black actor and former pro footballer Brad William Henke has died. He was 56 years old.

According to a rep for the star, he died on Tuesday, Nov. 29. However, at the time of writing, no cause of death has been publicly disclosed.

Henke was best known for his role in Netflix’s hit Orange Is the New Black. In this series, the actor played Desi Piscatella, one of the correctional officers at Litchfield Penitentiary. This character showed up in 26 episodes between 2016 and 2018.

Henke also appeared in shows such as Going to California where he had a leading role, Manhunt, The Stand, and an appearance in the 2016 thriller Split. He also guested on a variety of long-running series during his acting career, spanning over two decades.

Before acting, Henke played in the NFL for teams including The New York Giants where he was drafted after college, and the Denver Broncos which led to his Super Bowl XXIV appearance against the San Francisco 49ers.

Ultimately this run in sports came to an end in 1994 as he chose to retire due to ankle injuries. A few short years later the star landed his first role and began a long career in acting.

Henke’s manager shared a statement with TMZ falling his passing.

“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.”

Henke is survived by his wife Sonja his two children and grandchild.