Brad William Henke, a former NFL player known in part for his role as a prison guard in “Orange Is the New Black,” has died. He was 56.
Henke died "peacefully in his sleep" Tuesday, agent Sheree Cohen said.
"Henke was an avid NFL and UFC fan, a happily married family man with a heart of gold who visited his mother frequently, loved taking his stepson to soccer games and gymnastics and adored his dog, Ruby," Cohen said in a statement.
The cause of death was not provided.
Henke appeared in Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black” as Desi Piscatella, a gay corrections officer at Litchfield Penitentiary who served as the main antagonist of Season 4 and 5. He shared a SAG Award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series in 2017.
He had a lead role in the series “Going to California,” which ran for one season, and also had recurring roles on “Justified,” where he played Coover Bennett, “Lost,” “October Road,” “Nikki” and “Dexter.”
Born on April 10, 1966, in Columbus, Nebraska, Henke played college football at the University of Arizona, where he was team captain. He played on the defensive line for the Denver Broncos, including in the 1990 Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.
After sustaining injuries that forced him to retire from professional football in 1994, he began a career in acting and scored guest spots on such television series as “Chicago Hope,” “Silk Stockings,” “ER,” and “The Pretender.”
He later made appearances on “Law & Order,” “Life on Mars,” “Criminal Minds,” “Grimm,” “Bones” and other shows.
Henke also appeared in films including "Pee-wee’s Big Holiday," “Pacific Rim,” “Must Love Dogs,” "Choke," and “The Assassination of Richard Nixon.”
In 2000, Henke opened an acting studio in Los Angeles. "With a keen knowledge of the industry and an unmatched love of craft, he helped guide the careers of hundreds of actors (from novice to seasoned pro)," Cohen said.
Henke is survived by his mother, Tammy; sister, Annette; wife, Sonja; stepchildren Aaden and Leasa; and a grandchild, Amirah, according to Cohen.