Born on April 10, 1966 in Columbus, Nebraska, the late star played college football at the University of Arizona and went on to be drafted by the New York Giants and play for the Denver Broncos.
- Dec 2, 2022
AceShowbiz - Brad William Henke has sadly left this world. The former NFL player-turned-actor, who was best known for portraying Corrections Officer Desi Piscatella on "Orange Is the New Black", passed away in his sleep on November 28. He was 56.
The sad news was confirmed by the late star's manager, Matt DelPiano. "Brad was an incredibly kind man of joyous energy," Matt told TMZ. "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."
Tributes have since poured in for Brad. Among those who mourned his death was "OITNB" star, Lori Petty, who wrote on Twitter, "my sweet brother @bwhenke [broken heart emojis] …man I love you so xx." Tamara Torres, meanwhile, penned, "Brad William Henke what a loss. He was a great guy. Rest in peace OITNB brother."
Actor Bryan Greenberg stated, "RIP Brad William Henke aka Owen Rowen from October Road. Your heart was too big for this life." Casting director Jen Euston also tweeted, "this is a shock. rest well, Brad." She further noted, "thank you for all the work you contributed on OITNB. you will not be forgotten."
Brad was born on April 10, 1966 in Columbus, Nebraska. He played college football at the University of Arizona and went on to be drafted by the New York Giants and play for the Denver Broncos. After retiring from professional football in 1994, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his coaching career and begin auditioning for acting roles.
Aside from "Orange Is the New Black" and "October Road", Brad appeared on "The Bridge", "The Office", "Hawaii Five-0", "The Night Shift" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" among others.
