Brad William Henke (April 10, 1966 – November 29, 2022) was an American actor and professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) and Arena Football League (AFL). He was best known for his role as Corrections Officer Desi Piscatella on Orange Is the New Black, for which he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2016.
Early life and education Henke was born in Columbus, Nebraska. He attended the University of Arizona and played football as a defensive lineman.
Career
Football career
Henke was drafted by the New York Giants in the 1989 NFL draft but got cut during training camp. He was picked up by the Denver Broncos, and he played in Super Bowl XXIV against the San Francisco 49ers. Repeated injuries, which required six ankle surgeries, led to his retirement from professional football in 1994.
Acting Henke began acting in 1994, starting with commercials. He appeared in October Road, Around June, The Amateurs, World Trade Center, In the Valley of Elah, Choke, Sherrybaby, Must Love Dogs and Fury.
His television career includes roles in Arliss, Criminal Minds,ER, Dexter, Lost, Justified, The Office, Orange Is the New Black, Sneaky Pete, Grimm, Big Sky, and MacGyver (2016).
Henke's breakout role was on Orange Is the New Black as Desi Piscatella, a gay corrections officer at Litchfield Federal Penitentiary. He joined OITNB in the fourth season. He was part of the cast that won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for 2016.
Personal life and death
Henke was married to actress Katelin Chesna from 2001 to 2008.
In an Instagram post dated May 15, 2021, Henke stated that he had a 90 percent blockage of an artery. In another post dated June 29, 2021, he stated that he had two stents put in his heart and that his spleen and half of his pancreas were removed to treat a "golf ball sized" tumor.
Henke died in his sleep on November 29, 2022, at the age of 56.
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes 1996 Mr. Wrong Bob 1996 Space Jam Stars Catcher 1996 The Fan Tjader1999Dill ScallionBartender1999The Thirteenth FloorCop #12000Gone in 60 SecondsUncredited 2003 Love Object Dotson Credited as Brad Henke2004The Assassination of Richard NixonMartin Jones 2005 Must Love Dogs Leo2005The AmateursRon 2005 North Country Mr. Lattavansky 2005 Me and You and Everyone We Know Andrew 2006 Sherrybaby Bobby Swanson 2006 World Trade Center Allison's brother 2006 Hollywoodland Russ Taylor 2006 Altered Duke 2008 Choke Denny 2008 Around June Henry 2009 Short Term 12 Denim Later adapted into the 2013 film 2010 The Space Between Will 2011 The Trouble with Bliss Steven 'Jetski' Jouseski Also known as East Fifth Bliss 2011 Magic Valley Jerry Garabrant 2012 I Am Not a Hipster Bradley Haines 2012 Struck by Lightning Principal Gifford 2013 Jobs Paul Terrell 2013 Pacific Rim Construction foreman 2013 The Frozen Ground Carl Galenski 2014 Draft Day Tony 'Bagel' Bagli 2014 Fury Sgt. Davis Credited as Brad Henke 2015 Pure Love Detective Dillard 2016 The Tank Dane Hankeard 2016 Pee-wee's Big Holiday Grizzly Bear Daniels 2016 Split John Cooke 2017 Bright Dorghu 2018 Cold Brook Chip 2019 Wounds Eric 2019 Inherit the Viper Tedd Wallace 2020 Arkansas Tim 2022 The Ray Billings2022Block PartyBuddy Frank
Television Year Title Role Notes1996Chicago HopeFreddy LulenskiEpisode: "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"1996Silk StalkingsAmos AlexanderEpisode: "Loyalty"1996–1997Nash BridgesP.J. Pollard / Tommy2 episodes1997ArlissZack BowersEpisode: "A Full Service Agency"1997Michael HayesBilly DesmoreEpisode: "Heroes"1998ERJohnEpisode: "Think Warm Thoughts"1998The PretenderJimboEpisode: "Crazy"1998Sports NightChristian PatrickEpisode: "Mary Pat Shelby"1998To Have & to HoldChristopher DimattoEpisode: "Hope You Had the Time of Your Wife"1999Pensacola: Wings of GoldWayneEpisode: "Lost"1999Martial LawBuzz TippittEpisode: "Breakout"2000–2001Going to CaliforniaHenry "Hank" Ungalow20 episodes2000The Michael Richards ShowTommyEpisode: "The Identity Loan"2002Crossing JordanAndy LebowskiEpisode: "Secrets & Lies: Part 2"2002ProvidenceLuke EnglishEpisode: "Cloak & Dagger"2002Judging AmyDet. Chris Cross2 episodes2003CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationGeorge BartellEpisode: "Fur and Loathing"2006DexterTony Tucci4 episodes2007Cold CaseMike ChulaskiEpisode: "Cargo"2008Law & Order Ted SandersonEpisode: "Strike"2008Life on MarsMichael H., the Hostage TakerEpisode: "Tuesday's Dead"2007–2008October RoadOwen Dennis Rowan19 episodes2009–2010LostBram6 episodes2009Trust MeLewisEpisode: "Odd Man Out"2009CSI: MiamiArnold HollingsEpisode: "Out of Time"2009Solving CharlieTom TaylorTelevision film2010Party DownTravisEpisode: "Steve Guttenberg's Birthday"2010Royal PainsRoyEpisode: "Whole Lotto Love"2011Criminal MindsSteveEpisode: "Sense Memory"2011ShamelessHal HollanderEpisode: "Daddyz Girl"2011JustifiedCoover Bennett9 episodes2011GrimmHap LasserEpisode: "The Three Bad Wolves"2011The Chicago CodeErnie Moosekian3 episodes2011Memphis BeatMark AidenEpisode: "Identity Crisis"2012BonesMelvin CarvilleEpisode: "The Bod in the Pod"2013The OfficeFrankEpisode: "Vandalism"2013CastleMark HellerEpisode: "Scared to Death"2013LongmireSal VayasEpisode: "Death Came In Like Thunder"2013–2014The BridgeJim Dobbs4 episodes2015UncleBackground SingerEpisode: " I'm Back"2015Hawaii Five-0Richie MalloyEpisode: "Luapo'i"2016–2018Orange Is the New BlackDesi Piscatella26 episodes2016The Night ShiftClayton TimmonsEpisode: "Between a Rock and a Hard Place"2017Sneaky PeteBrendon6 episodes2018MacGyverJonah WalschEpisode: "MacGyver + MacGyver"2020Manhunt: Deadly GamesBig John4 episodes2020The StandTom Cullen6 episodes2022Law & Order: Special Victims UnitCaptain Don KubiakEpisodes: "Once Upon a Time in El Barrio"
References
External links