Andre Braugher's Virgin Plus Commercial Gives Big Captain Holt Energy
The passing of Andre Braugher at the age of 61 on December 11, 2023, has viewers looking back at the actor's legacy and thinking about all of the different things he managed to do during his storied career. The actor wasn't just a theatrical wiz or a comedic genius or a man who ruled over the procedural world for decades; he was also a celebrity pitchman. And when he hawked phones for Virgin Mobile, his delivery and tone were definitely reminiscent of that of his "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" character, Captain Raymond Holt.
Braugher had just begun work as Virgin Mobile's Virgin Plus spokesperson in July 2023, and the actor shot one hilarious commercial for the company just months before his untimely death. In it, he dryly explains that the incredible value of the phone is crystal clear. He dons a series of costumes and appears in a variety of scenes to explain it: he's Sherlock Holmes at a crime scene, a teenager in high school, a professor, a judge, and a member of a boy band. The deadpan tone and delivery and his willingness to look outrageous absolutely feels like a throwback to Holt's character traits. But that wasn't the only time Braugher worked as a spokesman while reminding viewers of his iconic "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" character.
Andre Braugher also promoted X-Box
Andre Braugher was no novice as a pitchman; he also appeared in a string of ads for Microsoft's Xbox in 2022. These commercials also serve as a nod to his work as Raymond Holt on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." The actor took on the officious tones of the captain in a string of commercials, which see him give gamers tips on how to wisely spend their time on their consoles and advise them to purchase the Ultimate Game Pass. He's even shown walking a Welsh Pembroke Corgi — a dog that looks a whole lot like Holt's beloved pooch, Cheddar – in one of the commercials.
Back in 1997, when he was still best known for his role as Frank Pembelton on "Homicide: Life on the Street," Braugher promoted TLC's Great Books Festival, which encouraged viewers at home to read for leisure. That same year, he briefly hyped up NBC's showing of the Christmas classic "It's a Wonderful Life." While Braugher will undoubtedly always be known for both his dramatic and comedic work, the commercials he took on still added heft to his prodigious legacy.