Chelsea Peretti on Processing the Loss of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Andre Braugher
First Time Female Director's Peretti, who played Gina Linetti alongside Braughter's Capt. Holt on Nine-Nine, told Seth Meyers about a public moment of grief.
Actress, stand-up comedian, podcaster and First Time Female Director director Chelsea Peretti is a very funny person—as was clear from the moment she sat down with Seth Meyers on February 14. Peretti jokingly stumbled onto the Late Night with Seth Meyers, barely making it to her seat.
"I'm a little sore 'cause I've been playing pickle ball," Peretti explained, while facing completely away from Meyers.
"Did you hurt your neck playing pickle ball? Is that why you're looking the other way?" Meyers asked.
"Uh, no, that's just 'cause I'm a tense sleeper—I hope that doesn't mess anything up," Peretti replied, before crying out in faux-pain as she turned toward the Host.
"The bits are flyin'!" Meyers said with a grin. Their chat soon turned to Peretti's previous "visit" to the show, sending a video when she was unable to join in person because her son was sick. Meyers shared a group photo from that 2021 Late Night episode, in which the rest of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine visited following the show's finale. Peretti portrayed the madcap Gina Linetti on the show.
Given that Peretti's character so often shared Brooklyn Nine-Nine scenes with the late Andre Braugher, who died of cancer on December 11, 2023, Meyers asked Peretti how she's dealt with the loss of her friend and former co-star.
Remembering Andre Braugher made Chelsea Peretti "burst into tears" on a red carpet
"One of my favorite actors," Meyers began, "Even before he was on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, was the great—"
"Andy Samberg?" Peretti interjected. (Fun fact: Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Saturday Night Live alum Samberg has been friends with Peretti since childhood).
Meyers was actually referring to Braugher, an Emmy-winning actor who'd won critical acclaim for roles in shows like Homicide: Life on the Street.
"I know he was a dear friend as well, so condolences," Meyers said.
"He was," Peretti said. "And people—like, I went to London over Christmas, and people were coming up to me and they're like, 'Andre died.' And I'm like, 'Yeah.' They're like, 'How do you feel?' I'm like, 'Bad?'"
RELATED: Terry Crews and the Brooklyn Nine-Nine Cast Mourn Andre Braugher: "This Hurts"
Grief is often not a linear or tidy process, and Peretti shared that she had an unexpected reaction to talking about Braugher in a recent interview about her film, First Time Female Director.
"On the red carpet, the guy goes, 'What's your favorite Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode?' And I'm talking about it," Peretti said. "He's like, 'Who was funniest?' I'm like, 'Andre,' and I just burst into tears," Peretti continued. "It was so horrible—because to be a celebrity, you're supposed to be like a complete robot."
"But I burst into tears on camera. He's just holding his phone, and I'm just like, 'This is a nightmare,'" Peretti continued. "And my publicist is like, 'Um, uh...'. And then he goes, "Well, one last question -- What are you bingeing?' While I'm crying. I'm like, Beef!"
"It's very nice that you could get the Beef plug in, though," Meyers joked about the darkly comic moment. "It's a great show."
Peretti honored her friend in a heartbreaking Instagram caption posted the day after Braugher's death. "Forever lucky to have gone on such a journey with you. Ringside seat," Peretti wrote. "You were so funny to me and the epitome of still waters run deep. I will always cherish our conversations, often with me hanging in your doorway barring your exit, and the insane opportunity to be your sidekick."
Watch Peretti's full interview—in which she also describes the experience of directing her husband, Jordan Peele, in a First Time Female Director cameo—above.
